Rough sleepers to get £1.3m boost in county

The four-year initiative has been given the green light and led by homelessness charity P3, a designated team of specialists, including a drug worker and mental health practitioner will provide intensive support to help 120 of the region’s most vulnerable rough sleepers across the county.

They will aim to support rough sleepers off the street, into accommodation, help provide support services for drugs and mental health, with the aim of getting individuals into employment.

The scheme is based on similar initiatives in America, which have proved effective at rehabilitating vulnerable rough sleepers.

A group of councils (including North Kesteven District Council) and agencies from across the county have worked together to bid for Social Impact Bond funding (SIB) totalling around £1.3 million. This is one of only eight projects nationally to receive this funding.

Michelle Howard, chairman of the Lincolnshire Homelessness Strategy Group, said: “There are a number of rough sleepers in the region who have become entrenched in that lifestyle and need urgent support to get their lives back on track.”

Coun Stewart Ogden, NKDC executive board member for homelessness said “This grant will go a long way in helping the homeless in our district. Last year we prevented over 900 households from becoming homeless, and supported many more through the Street Outreach team, who were rough sleeping or at risk of doing so”.