07 October 2022
Summary:Homelessness services to be expanded via the RSAP fund from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.
Homelessness services to combat rough sleeping are being expanded by MTVH in partnership with Spelthorne Council and Nottingham City Council. Both were successful in bids to the government’s Rough Sleeping Accommodation Programme (RSAP), partnering with MTVH to deliver services.
The RSAP administered by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities provides councils with funding to support rough sleepers into longer term accommodation.
Spelthorne Council successfully bid to receive £568,300 over the next three years under RSAP, and Nottingham City Council was successful in applying for £1.67m with local partners. This funding will boost joint efforts to tackle rough sleeping and fund several initiatives that prevent homelessness, address housing insecurity and its underlying causes.
The successful bid with Spelthorne Council will fund the purchase of homes that will provide accommodation for people moving on from an existing facility for homeless people run by the council and managed by MTVH. In addition to providing a safe home, those living there will receive the support they require to sustain future tenancies.
The funding granted to Nottingham City Council will facilitate the development of new homes for homeless people (and those at risk) and the delivery of services to provide support and accommodation.
Geeta Nanda OBE, Chief Executive of MTVH, said: “We are delighted to further strengthen our cooperation with Spelthorne Borough Council and Nottingham City Council to provide homelessness support. At MTVH, we are committed to providing people with the help they need to access and enjoy safe and comfortable homes. As such, we welcome the Government’s investment in ending rough sleeping. This funding will help us to expand homelessness services in the area, giving more people the chance to build better lives.”
Cllr Maureen Attewell, Spelthorne’s Chair of the Community Wellbeing and Housing Committee, said: “We are very pleased to receive this funding and to see the Government’s strong commitment to ending rough sleeping. The money will enable us to introduce and maintain a number of important initiatives which will allow us to identify and support rough sleepers, offer more tailored solutions and prevent homelessness by intervening early.”
Cllr Toby Neal, Portfolio Holder for Housing and Human Resources at Nottingham City Council, said: “We welcome this allocation…. We’ve had to work hard to secure it and this shows how much value is placed on the work we do alongside our partner agencies to support rough sleepers and homeless people in Nottingham.”
“As ever, we are reliant on our local partners to quickly respond with quality services and we thank them for their continued contributions and commitment.”