Local authorities receive £2.9 billion to support vulnerable people

24 Mar 2020 03:35 PM

The Department of Health and Social Care and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government have announced £2.9 billion of funding allocation for local authorities to support vulnerable people, including people who are homeless during the COVID-19 crisis. 

This tranche of funding is from the £500 billion COVID-19 fund announced in The Budget.

Responding to the announcement, Rick Henderson, Chief Executive of Homeless Link, yesterday said:

"People who are homeless are some of the most vulnerable in our society, and this population is facing severe danger during the COVID-19 outbreak, as they are often relying on communal night shelters, hostels with shared sanitation, or sleeping on the streets.  They also have no facilities for self-isolation.

"Now that the country is in a lockdown period and following this investment from government, every local authority area should now move quickly to ensure that:

• No-one is sleeping on the streets
• No-one is sleeping in a communal setting or using shared sanitation facilities
• Local services can arrange people into appropriate groupings to prevent risk
• Everyone who needs to self-isolate in line with government guidance is able to do so.
• Staff have the access to testing and the Personal Protective Equipment that they need to operate safely.

"Homeless Link will be supporting our 800 plus members and local areas across the country as they undertake these actions."