- In an open letter to Government, 23 homelessness organisations request that a vital source of funding continues
- The letter comes as figures released today show a record rise in homelessness, with mental health featured as the highest support need
23 leading homelessness organisations, including St Mungo’s, Shelter and Centrepoint, have called on the Government to protect vital funding for homelessness, which is due to end in March 2025.
The Rough Sleeping Initiative funding (RSI) is an integral source of governmental funding to get and keep people off the streets.
Demand for the organisations’ services has never been higher, with figures released today pointing to a record number of people who are homeless.
As the cost-of-living crisis and lack of affordable housing continue to bite, 178,560 households are recorded to be homeless and 146,430 at risk of it – so a total of 324,990 households.
Without RSI funding to support this record number experiencing homelessness, services are at significant risk. Many of these services are run in partnership with local authorities facing acute financial pressures, which will only ramp up without RSI support. For example, councils in London are spending £90m per month on temporary accommodation for people experiencing homelessness, which is up almost 40% from 2023 figures.
RSI funding has had a huge impact on meeting the demand of people facing homelessness and ensuring they get the appropriate support. As the lead signatory, St Mungo’s has revealed that around a third of its commissioned services are funded by RSI, totaling around £17.6 million.
In England, Housing First services show what can be run with RSI funding. They are essential in providing people experiencing homelessness with accommodation, often for the first time.
St Mungo’s Westminster Housing First service is one such example, supporting people with multiple and complex needs: 92% of people accessing St Mungo’s Housing First have mental health support needs and 69% have a mental health diagnosis like anxiety or depression, whilst 81% require physical health support if they’re living with immobility, for instance.
Today’s homelessness statistics illustrate the numbers of people on the streets, or without a stable home, facing complex mental and physical needs. The open letter signatories warn that scaling back RSI funding will only compound these needs.
The letter also states that this funding must be protected for at least three years; this is to provide support for people already facing a homelessness crisis, as well as to give enough time to strengthen homelessness prevention.
Emma Haddad, CEO at St Mungo’s, said: “Today’s sobering statistics point to the scale of homelessness and the challenge ahead for national and local government, as well as charities, in tackling it. Behind these statistics, there are people who our teams see every day. People who are worried about finding shelter for the night after months – or even years – sleeping rough. People who are worried about finding a stable home when time is running out on temporary accommodation arrangements.
“Without vital sources of funding like the Rough Sleeping Initiative, yet more people will experience the trauma of homelessness, and our collective aim of ending homelessness for good will be pushed even further away.
“As we approach the Budget, leading voices in the homelessness and housing sectors are asking the Government to protect RSI funding so that homelessness services can continue, and no one faces a life of uncertainty without a home.”
The coalition of organisations calls for the protection of RSI to be included in the Autumn Budget on Wednesday 30 October.
-ENDS-
Signatories to the open letter include:
- AKT
- The Big Issue Group
- Centrepoint
- The Chartered Institute of Housing
- The Connection at St Martin’s
- Depaul UK
- Emmaus UK
- Glass Door
- Groundswell
- NACCOM
- National Experts Citizens Group
- National Housing Federation
- New Horizon Youth Centre
- The Passage
- Praxis
- Providence Row
- Release
- Revolving Door
- Single Homelessness Project
- Shelter
- St Mungo’s
- YMCA England and Wales
- Your Place
