Funding boost to help Bournemouth rough sleepers

Emergency funding to help rough sleepers in parts of Dorset has been announced as part of a national plan to tackle homelessness.

More than £200,000 is set to be made available for measures to tackle homelessness in Bournemouth, Poole and Christchurch.

The towns are among the areas with the highest proportions of rough sleeping outside of London.

Campaigner Andrew Talbot said the need for help for rough sleepers "far exceeded" the amount of funding.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government said the funding, part of a £10m national programme, could help to save lives this winter by ensuring rough sleepers have access to safe and warm beds.

It said it was aimed at supporting people into secure, stable housing - helping those at risk of homelessness to pay deposits and negotiate with landlords and reducing the overall need for temporary accommodation.

The funding has been targeted at areas that are most in need and vulnerable individuals sleeping rough, including veterans, care leavers, and victims of domestic abuse.

The allocation of £216,341 to BCP Council is one of the biggest to a local authority outside London.

Dorset Council is also being given £41,000.

Minister for Homelessness Rushanara Ali said the government was providing "immediate support" to areas with high levels of rough sleeping.

"We're trying to make sure we are providing resources with areas with high numbers and recognise the pressures each of these areas face.

"It's about trusting local authorities to bolster the partnerships they have with local charities and to be able to provide that support quickly," she added.

The announcement came as the first cross-government group on tackling homelessness, met chaired by the Deputy Prime Minister Angela Raynor.

The group is intended to bring together ministers from across government overseeing healthcare, the justice system and education to tackle all forms of homelessness.

The most recent figures show that Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole had 146 rough sleepers in June 2024 and 165 the previous month.

Andrew Talbot of Bournemouth-based homeless support charity We Are Humans said the grant was "nowhere hear enough" with the cost-of-loving crisis driving an increase in numbers of homeless people, including families.

"We've got families in one-bed hotel rooms living on takeaway meals - we need real change," he said.

"The situation is getting worse, there is no clear cut solution other than to build houses."

He said the money should be spent on buying a building to provide accommodation rather than on hotel and B&B fees.

Bournemouth was one of six flagship locations targeted in the Prince of Wales' a five-year programme to tackle homelessness , launched in 2023.