DoE’s national homeless plan

The Department of Environment may extend its ‘Rough Sleepers
Initiative’, which funds accommodation for London’s homeless
people, to outside the capital.

Details of the third tranche of the scheme are to be announced
at the end of the month.

But housing charities Shelter and St Mungo’s said permanent
accommodation was the priority.

A Shelter spokesperson said: ‘There is a “silting up” of hostel
beds: people are managing to get in but then, through a lack of
move-on accommodation, they are staying longer.’

St Mungo’s director Charles Fraser said care and support was
needed as well as housing: ‘There are problems with community care
in terms of the ability of homeless people to access the assessment
process.’