Extra beds are set to be offered to people sleeping rough in York this winter following the announcement of emergency Government funding.
The 29 extra beds are set to be funded by York’s £87,000 share of a £10 million support package for councils unveiled by Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner.
The council is also set to look at boosting staffing to support rough sleepers and it will offer bed and breakfasts where necessary.
City of York Council housing services lead Denis Southall said their emergency provision would ensure that anyone sleeping rough has the option of a warm bed this winter.
It comes as deputy prime minister announced the funding alongside measures which she said would tackle the root causes of homelessness.
Ms Rayner called for an end to sticking plaster measures, with the Government pledging to spend almost £1bn to try and tackle homelessness in 2025-6.
Her call comes as rough sleeping is approaching record levels while almost 360,000 households approached councils for help with homelessness in the last year.
Research from the Museum of Homelessness found that 155 people died while sleeping rough in England in 2023, 42 per cent more than the previous year.
In York, 22 people were found to be sleeping rough on a single night, according to the latest official figures from June when 64 did so over the course of the month.
Ten new people were found sleeping rough on one night with 25 for the month, 150 per cent and 39 per cent more than the year before respectively.
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The nightly total was up by 16 per cent year-on-year while the monthly count was 23 per cent higher.
Of those found sleeping rough, 16 are thought to have been doing so long term.
Two people who slept rough had returned to it, 67 per cent less than at the same time in the previous year.
The council’s head of housing services said accommodation was offered to rough sleepers and it was chosen to best meet their needs.
He added the extra 29 beds being put on with the extra Government funding would come alongside the 120 offered to single homeless people.
The official said: “Our emergency winter provision ensures everyone sleeping rough has the option of a warm place to stay this winter, whatever the weather.
“Our housing navigators and officers at our drop-in sessions offer accommodation and if that’s successful, longer-term accommodation with appropriate support is offered.”
The council has also begun drafting a homelessness strategy which aims to cut the number of people in temporary accommodation and get them into secure housing with support.
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government stated its funding would go towards critical services to prevent homelessness and support getting people into stable homes.
Other measures announced by the Government include helping people to pay deposits and negotiate with landlords and ending Section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions.
Ms Rayner said the rise in homelessness and rough sleeping was a national disgrace, with people failed by a broken system.
The deputy prime minister said: “We are approaching the harshest months of the year which is why we are taking immediate action to reach anyone sleeping rough and help them off the streets this winter."
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