THE city council has welcomed a one-off injection of Government cash to help ease homelessness pressures in the city.
The Government has allocated around £880,000 to the council to help tackle rough sleeping and single homelessness, and to support children who are homeless.
Cllr Elly Cutkelvin, deputy city mayor for housing said: “Over the past year the city council has spent around £24 million on homeless services, and we are already doing a lot of good work to tackle the rising tide of homelessness in the city. However, as with other cities, much more funding is needed to meet all of the pressures we face.
“I’m pleased that this new money will enable us to give some specific support to children and families currently living in temporary accommodation. And we will also be able to give more funding to voluntary groups who do such vital work in the city.”
Plans are still being finalised, but the council aims to use some of the funding to recruit two more outreach workers on fixed term contracts, increasing the team to five people.
Funding is likely to be put towards setting up an emergency winter shelter in the city, which will be managed by One Roof Leicester, to accommodate rough sleepers over the winter period. And some will be used to provide wi-fi in council owned temporary accommodation housing children.
Help the Homeless will receive additional funds to support their work in moving rough sleepers into accommodation and helping them maintain their tenancies. And the council’s emergency hostel, the Dawn Centre, will get some improved fixtures and fittings to make it more welcoming to people who have come in off the streets.
The council expects to receive the full allocation of funding in November.