Bid 'to end' rough sleeping by 2012 as part of new homelessness strategy

A bid to end sleeping rough by 2012 will be unveiled by ministers today amid fears the credit crunch could force many more people from their homes.

Help for single people with deposits on rented accommodation are part of a wide-ranging £200 million strategy to get people off the streets by the time London hosts the Olympics.

The latest estimates suggest the number spending the night sleeping rough has been cut by two thirds since 1997 to 483, but the Government wants to eliminate it entirely.

It faces a difficult task however, with one charity last week predicting a rise over the coming months and a poll showing 72% of voters believe more will be forced onto the streets.

Minister Iain Wright accepted it was a "tough challenge" but called on everyone to play a part, even simply by showing "more compassion" by using a 24-hour helpline to report homeless people they were concerned about.

"I know these are tough times and that this is a tough challenge but it's easy to say something can't be done, let's show what can be done," he said.

"When we walk down a street and see a figure in a sleeping bag huddled in a doorway, it reminds us there is more to do. I know it can be done and working together we shall achieve our goal.

"We can all do our bit, and whether we get involved on the ground or simply show more compassion for those in need, we can look back on rough sleeping as something that used to happen, not something that does happen."

The strategy, developed with a number of homelessness charities, also includes more supported lodgings for those at risk, bigger "street rescue support teams" and better promotion of the helpline.

Homeless people will be offered greater help developing "personal achievable action plans" to get them back into work and the Government is promising "innovative" tie-ups with charities and business.

Whitehall will also make efforts to make sure individuals do not fall between the cracks of services provided by different Government departments, such as healthcare.

Housing Minister Margaret Beckett said: "We have achieved much in tackling rough sleeping and homelessness over the last 10 years, but it's time for us all to say rough sleeping in 21st century Britain is unacceptable.

"This strategy is not just about getting someone a bed for the night, it's also about preventing rough sleeping in the first place, recognising the needs of each individual and offering them genuine opportunities and support to get their lives back on track."

Jenny Edwards, chief executive of Homeless Link, the national umbrella organisation for homelessness charities, said: "This is an important moment for our country.

"Britain is already seen to be leading the way in tackling the issue of rough sleeping, so we are delighted that the new strategy sets out to end this social evil once and for all.

"Working together we will close the door into homelessness in every local community. Working together let's go for gold on social justice and consign to history the distressing sight of people huddled in doorways by the time the Olympics come to Britain in 2012. We can achieve the goal and inspire the world to follow our lead."

Homelessness charity Crisis said it was a "scandal" that anyone still had to sleep rough and welcomed the Government's acceptance of measures it had been urging for 12 months.

Chief executive Leslie Morphy said: "We warmly welcome the package of measures announced today, many of which we, and others in the sector, have been campaigning for over the last year.

"In particular, we are delighted to see a commitment to consider changes to the statutory safety net for those at risk of rough sleeping, alongside increased prevention work and greater availability of alternative housing options to stop people from ending up on the streets in the first place.

"In the current economic crisis, with people losing their homes and jobs and facing potential homelessness, it is more important than ever that the Government takes action to end rough sleeping and we look forward to working with them in delivering this new strategy."

An opinion poll commissioned last week by St Mungo's, which runs hostels for the homeless, found more than one in eight people (14%) feared they could be forced out of their homes during the current economic downturn.

The Ipsos Mori survey also revealed that 80% of people believed the Government was not doing enough to stop people losing their homes because they could not afford mortgage repayments.

Seventy-two per cent of those questioned said they expected the economic crisis to force more people to sleep on the streets.

Shadow Housing Minister, Grant Shapps, said: “While eradicating rough sleeping is the mark of a civilised society, and we welcome any measures that help us reach that stage, there are real concerns over the accuracy of street counts which have underestimated the scale of the problem in the last few years.

“The problems with the way the number of rough sleepers is calculated needs to be addressed before solutions can be fully effective.

"With 130,000 homeless children last year, twice that of a decade ago, it is also vital that the Government does not forget about the huge numbers of hidden homeless who will be suffering this winter.”

Shelter chief executive Adam Sampson said: "Ending rough sleeping by 2012 is a bold and ambitious commitment, and one which is very welcome.

"However, it's not just about bringing down the numbers and getting people off the streets.

"It's about providing appropriate accommodation and support over the long term to enable people to rebuild their lives, and to break the cycle of homelessness.

"To really end rough sleeping once and for all a significant part of the Government's strategy must be to significantly increase social housing supply so that people have settled homes to live in."

Rosemary Westbrook, Westminster Council's director for housing, said: "While we welcome the Government's announcement to end rough sleeping, we feel these plans need to be more specific and do not go far enough in addressing the plight of people from Eastern Europe, and indeed the rest of the world, who have ended up sleeping rough but have no recourse to public funds.

"Because of our central London location, historically we have had the highest number of people sleeping rough in the capital.

"Although this overall figure has recently fallen to a record low, the proportion of people sleeping rough from Eastern Europe in particular is increasing.

"At the moment we can't help them into accommodation because of current Government legislation, which means they are not allowed to claim housing benefits or access our hostels.

"What we would like to see from the Government is a co-ordinated response and funding to help these people."

Liberal Democrat Shadow Housing Minister, Sarah Teather said: “While measures to tackle homelessness, such as more personalised support for people sleeping rough, are clearly welcome, it is clear that the Government has no idea how many people are homeless in England.

“There are a large number of hidden homeless across the country, such as people who sleep on the sofas and floors of friends and family, who are completely invisible to the system.

“The new target is meaningless unless it is based on reliable information rather than on the discredited street counts.”