Reports the Government is planning to let hundreds of rough sleepers return to the streets have been denied by Number 10’s homeless adviser.
The Government’s ‘Everyone in’ scheme saw more than 1,600 rough sleepers taken off the streets amid the coronavirus crisis. Now the Manchester Evening News (MEN) has reported that leaked documents reveal plans to scrap the system.
But homeless adviser Dame Louise Casey has told The MJ, that plans were afoot to rehome people, as the scheme moves on to the next phase.
‘We need to move people out of commercial hotels and into better options than that,’ Dame Louise said.
She told The MJ she was disappointed with reports that rough sleepers would be sent back to the streets. ‘This doesn’t catch the mood of housing professionals across the UK who are falling over themselves to offer us places,’ she added.
MEN said a leaked report to the Greater Manchester Combined Authority revealed that the Ministry of Communities, Housing and Local Government had told councils the ‘Everyone in’ scheme would no longer be funded.
It comes as local government has started to seek clarity on what services will and will not be paid for by the Government to deal with the coronavirus crisis after communities secretary Robert Jenrick said funding would only be available for specific duties.