I was encouraged to hear that Elmbridge has been allocated almost £73,000 by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) to support rough sleepers and other vulnerable people who were housed during the Coronavirus pandemic.
The funding builds on the government’s “Everyone In” initiative, which saw almost 15,000 vulnerable people across England housed in hotels and other forms of emergency accommodation. This effort ensured that people who were either sleeping rough, in shared night shelters or at imminent risk of sleeping rough were kept safe.
The money will help Elmbridge Borough Council to provide ongoing support and emergency accommodation for these people. This could include helping them into the private rented sector, securing interim accommodation such as supported housing, or assessing what wider support they may need.
I know how important this kind of support can be from when I volunteered with Elmbridge Rentstart in June, delivering food and other essentials to former rough sleepers in Walton and Hersham. Both rehousing and ongoing support are invaluable in helping such vulnerable people to rebuild their lives, so this new funding is very welcome.
(Image: Dom volunteering with Elmbridge Rentstart in June)
