£20 million to tackle rough sleeping across London

The Mayor of London has announced £20 million of funding to tackle rough sleeping across the capital.

The money will be invested in the Life off the Streets Programme.

£17.27 million will be used to deliver the No Second Night Out (NSNO) service from 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2027, with the possibility of extending the service for up to a further two years.

The NSNO service supports people who are seen sleeping rough for the first time. It assesses their individual situation and provides tailored support based on their unique circumstances and needs to deliver a sustainable route off the streets.

In 2022-23, 87 per cent of the 1887 people supported by the service did not return to sleeping rough.

Other services set to receive funding include off-the-streets accommodation and emergency winter provision to safeguard those sleeping rough from cold weather, a shelter for members of the LGBTIQA+ community who are sleeping rough and a training programme to upskill the homelessness and migrant sectors to better support non-UK nationals sleeping rough in London.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “The most recent figures for rough sleeping in London are deeply alarming. The cost-of-living crisis is putting more and more Londoners at risk of losing their homes and ending up with nowhere to go.

“That’s why I’m delivering an additional £20m in funding to expand my Life off the Streets Programme. From emergency accommodation, to outreach and training, this new funding will boost pan-London support services and help ensure that those sleeping rough can access the vital help they need quicker, and leave the streets for good.”

“It is one of my top priorities as Mayor is to end rough sleeping in the capital for good, and create a better, fairer London for all.”

Image by Kev from Pixabay