Manchester city region gets devolved homelessness funding

The funding is the first devolved homelessness package. it will be used for new services across the city region including 24-hour, hub-based services, and a social letting agency for people struggling to find accommodation. It will also go towards a shared database across 10 local authorities, the Greater Manchester Homelessness Action Network to link homelessness organisations in the region and tailored health services for homeless people.

The money is part of the Greater Manchester Reform Investment Fund to support vulnerable people.

Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester said: “We very much welcome this announcement by the government. This extra help is well-timed, much-needed and good news for Greater Manchester. It is a recognition of the innovative work underway here to help people sleeping rough, bringing together our public, private and voluntary sectors in a ground-breaking partnership. This support from the government will help us go further and faster in achieving our goal of ending rough sleeping in Greater Manchester by 2020.”

Communities Secretary Sajid Javid said: “One person living on the street or without a home to call their own is too many. This package supports this government’s aims to transform the way we prevent homelessness and rough sleeping. Greater Manchester has always been at the forefront of devolution and this is a landmark moment – the first devolved homelessness package. I’m confident that the proposed plan will reach the needs of the city’s most vulnerable people and set a precedent for what other ambitious city regions can do.”