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Epping Forest District Council bid for a share of Government funding to ensure rough sleepers, temporarily housed, are not left to return to the streets.
Epping Forest District Council, as part of a group of five local councils led by Essex County Council, has successfully bid for a share of Government funding that will ensure rough sleepers, temporarily accommodated throughout the pandemic, have somewhere to move on to.
Additional accommodation
The funding will also secure additional accommodation for anyone who finds themselves rough sleeping over the coming winter months.
The Next Steps Accommodation Programme helps secure more permanent solutions and supports efforts to avoid them returning to sleeping rough.
Pathway plans
Portfolio Holder for Housing and Community, Cllr Holly Whitbread said:
Our district’s rough sleeping population has been relatively low, even so we have successfully housed around 15 rough sleepers since the start of Covid-19.
This new funding has enabled us to secure affordable housing options that meet the needs of those who have experienced sleeping rough, and support them into more independent, long-term housing.
This will include pathway plans for each person with wrap around support to help them sustain their tenancy and hopefully prevent them returning to the streets.
They’ll also be signposted to other agencies where support may be required for such things as substance misuse and/or physical/mental health issues.
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