Peterborough Council given £3 million funding boost to help homeless residents in city

Peterborough City Council has been given a £3 million funding boost to help rough sleepers find suitable, safe accommodation.

A total of £2,911,612, which will be paid over a three year period, will pay for emergency and short-term beds and accommodation and a team of additional staff who will work with rough sleepers, helping them access medical services, accommodation and employment. It has been awarded by the Government’s Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.

The staff will support the wider Safer Off the Streets Partnership with its aim of helping rough sleepers to leave the streets for good. Staff will work with a number of organisations to identify those who are at danger of sleeping rough for the first time and intervene before this happens.

The roles include: GP and nurse outreach workers, rough sleeper outreach workers, housing health and welfare officers, rough sleeping prevention officers and tenancy and employment support.

Christine Graham, chair of the Safer Off the Streets partnership, said: “Peterborough City Council is a key Safer Off the Streets partner and provides a significant amount of resource and support in delivering city-wide services we coordinate to rough sleepers. This includes offers of accommodation and GP services.

“It’s a sad fact that the life expectancy of a rough sleeper is just 47, compared to 81 for the rest of the UK – well below the average.”

Councillor Marco Cereste, cabinet member for climate change, planning, housing and transport at Peterborough City Council, said: “We have worked hard to secure this extra money – this is the fifth time we have secured the Rough Sleeper Initiative (RSI) grant, which shows that the Government has confidence in the way we are addressing the issues around rough sleeping in the city. This extra funding will make a significant contribution to the positive work already underway with partners across the city, as part of the Safer Off the Streets partnership, of which the council is a member.

“Over the last 12 months alone, we have been able to help over 143 people off our streets and into accommodation – allowing them the chance to leave their life on the street behind.”