Hastings given £5.4 million from Government to tackle homelessness

Hastings Borough Council said it has been given the money by the Government through its Single Homeless Accommodation Programme (SHAP) to help reduce homelessness in the borough by providing settled homes and personalised support where needed.

The authority said the funding will mean the council can buy at least 25 new homes in Hastings allowing people to move out of homelessness for good.

There are already plans in place with offers in on properties and other properties identified, the council added.

Cllr Simon Willis, the authority’s lead councillor for housing, said: “This funding is hugely welcomed, and it will allow us to provide much-needed homes for some of our residents who face the most barriers to finding and maintaining a home. A safe, secure and stable place to call home is a fundamental right and we are very focussed on addressing our housing and homelessness issues in every way we can. I look forward to working with our excellent housing team to invest this money for the good of our most vulnerable residents.”

The council said the funding will be split between revenue to resource a housing management team and tenancy support service and the capital needed to buy and convert, where necessary, the properties to create the 25 homes.

Officers at Hastings Borough Council worked with the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities to put in the bid for funding to support the housing crisis in Hastings.

The Government said nearly £220 million has been given to councils across the country to help deliver more than 800 homes for rough sleepers and help prevent families from becoming homeless as part of its Single Homeless Accommodation Programme.

The Minister for Housing and Homelessness, Felicity Buchan, said the funding targets areas most in need and includes specialist support for the most vulnerable who require mental health or substance misuse support.

She said: “We are working alongside councils and charities to do all we can to help rough sleepers off the streets and to prevent homelessness. This announcement brings the total funding to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping to an unprecedented £2.4 billion over three years (2022-2025), meaning we can help thousands of the most vulnerable people and give them the support they need to rebuild their lives.”