Sir David Amess has welcomed news that the Government is providing funding for Southend-on-Sea for new, long-term homes for rough sleepers and other vulnerable people.

Southend-on-Sea will receive £2,160,707 for local schemes that provide secure ‘move on’ style accommodation for people at risk of sleeping on the streets and is an important step towards achieving the Conservative Party’s manifesto commitment to end rough sleeping by 2024, alongside investment in new homes for social rent.

In total, projects across England will receive more than £150 million to deliver more than 3,300 such secure homes by the end of March 2021, providing long term accommodation to vulnerable people to keep them safe from Coronavirus and rebuild their lives.

This is part of the Government’s investment of £433 million to deliver 6,000 new homes for rough sleepers by the end of this Parliament and builds on the ‘Everyone In’ campaign launched at the start of the pandemic which has helped support over 29,000 vulnerable people – enabling councils to keep rough sleepers safe this winter.

In total, 276 schemes have been approved across England, which will deliver 904 new homes for rough sleepers in London and 2,430 elsewhere across the country. This sits alongside the £91.5 million in grant funding given to councils to support vulnerable people and provide short term accommodation over the coming months, and a £10 million Cold Weather Fund to support winter shelters and ensure they are Covid-secure.

Sir David said “I am delighted that Southend has received vital funding to help rough sleepers. It has always been important to help rough sleepers but especially during the winter and the Coronavirus pandemic. I work closely with Southend’s leading homeless charity, HARP, and I praise the work they have been doing and continue to do. This financial aid is the first-step in the right direction for protecting the most vulnerable members of our society”.