Homelessness Winter Transformation Fund 2021/22 is announced

7 Apr 2021 12:42 PM

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has announced a £3 million grants fund to enable community and faith groups to provide winter services for people sleeping rough in 2021/22.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) will provide a £3 million grants fund to enable community and faith groups to develop accommodation options that are self-contained, Covid-secure and dignified, to be ready for people sleeping rough by winter 2021/22.

The fund aims to change the way projects are run to help transform people’s lives by offering a route off the streets and, ultimately, to reduce rough sleeping.

The Homelessness Winter Transformation Fund will include £1 million of capital and £2 million of revenue, and will be managed by Homeless Link in partnership with Housing Justice.

This year’s fund builds upon our combined work of the past two years (£1.1million in 2019/20 and £2.4million in 2020/21). It will help enable small-to-medium homelessness charities, community and faith groups and voluntary sector organisations to transform their winter services for people sleeping rough in response to the requirements of these individuals and the need to move away from communal sleeping arrangements as a result of Covid-19.

This funding is on top of funding provided to local authorities to bring forward winter provision, including the £10 million Cold Weather Fund and £112 million Rough Sleeping Initiative.

Homeless Link and Housing Justice will engage with potential applicants early in the process to help inform and provide a sound understanding of the fund prior to bid submission. Successful grantees will receive support for project delivery.

Key dates

Homeless Link and Housing Justice will publicise the full timetable of dates when the capital grants round opens on 3rd May, along with a funding prospectus, including detailed information and frequently asked questions. There will also be webinars arranged for prospective bidders for each round.