“Rough sleeping should no longer be accepted as a fact of life”

Most of us cannot imagine spending a night sleeping on the streets. Yet for some people in Peterborough, that is still the reality, writes Andrew Pakes MP.

Behind every person sleeping rough there is a story of hardship. It might be family breakdown, poor mental health, addiction, debt, losing a job, or simply a run of bad luck that is hard to recover from. Those stories were at the heart of the conversation this week, when I attended the first Rough Sleeping Summit at Number 10 Downing Street. Ministers, local leaders, charities and businesses were all brought together to take on one mission: ending rough sleeping for good.

It was a chance to share Peterborough's experiences, raise the challenges we face locally and learn from what is working elsewhere. What struck me most was the Prime Minister's personal commitment. From his first day in Downing Street, he has been clear that rough sleeping should no longer be accepted as a fact of life.

That commitment is being backed by real investment. In September, Peterborough was given £500,000 to support work already under way in our city. That was part of £442 million announced nationally in August to offer everyone a route off the streets by Christmas. A further £432 million has now been announced to keep that support going until the end of this Parliament. That brings new investment to £874 million since the Prime Minister made his pledge in July.

But the summit also made clear that money alone will not solve this. Government has a vital role to play, but so do charities, housing associations, businesses and local communities. That is why so many came forward with real pledges. The National Housing Federation will work with housing associations to find at least 2,000 homes and bedspaces, while organisations like the Salvation Army, IKEA, Morrisons and Virgin Media O2 have all committed to playing their part. The Government is also giving councils new powers to refer homeless households directly to housing associations, which will no longer be able to turn families away without good reason.

That spirit of partnership will be familiar to anyone in Peterborough, because we see it here every day. I recently highlighted in Parliament the work of the Light Project, which supports people experiencing homelessness, including veterans with nowhere else to turn. It does far more than offer emergency help. It helps people rebuild their confidence and take the first steps towards independence. Faith plays an important role in Peterborough with our churches and other places of worship being central to our foodbanks and support for those in need.

There is no quick fix and no single answer. But with sustained investment, practical support and strong local partnerships, we can make real progress. Peterborough has always been a city that looks after its own. By working together, we can end rough sleeping in our city, because everyone deserves a place to call home.