Lincolnshire will get nearly £4 million in funding to stop vulnerable people from becoming homeless.
The money could go towards emergency housing, help with securing deposits or mediation to stop people from being evicted.
There are estimated to be 35 to 40 people sleeping rough on Lincolnshire’s streets at any one time, according to council figures.
Numbers have reportedly halved since 2019 thanks to new initiatives, although the cost of living crisis presents new challenges.
The government funding will be spread across the next two financial years to help existing teams.
East Lindsey District Council, which sees an increase of rough sleepers in Skegness and Mablethorpe during the summer, will receive the highest funding in Lincolnshire.
Here’s how much each council will be getting:
East Lindsey – £878,442
Lincoln – £803,422
South Kesteven – £728,152
North Kesteven – £498.338
West Lindsey – £397,068
South Holland – £353,614
Boston – £294,284.
The funding could stop people ending up on the street in the first place| Photo: The Lincolnite
The South East Lincolnshire Partnership say the funding is welcome boost to their efforts.
Councillor William Gray (Portfolio Holder for Communities at East Lindsey District Council), Councillor Martin Griggs (Portfolio Holder for Housing & Communities at Boston Borough Council) and Councillor Christine Lawton (Portfolio Holder for HRA & Private Sector Housing at South Holland District Council) said: “We know being homeless or threatened with homelessness can be very frightening and cause anxiety and stress. Our teams work with partner agencies and are committed to doing everything possible to advise and assist vulnerable residents with their housing options.
“This additional funding announced by the government is a welcome boost to help our teams across the partnership support some of the most vulnerable people in our communities over the next two years.”
The City of Lincoln Council say they are currently planning how the funding will be used.
The government is distributing a total of 654million to councils across England.
The Minister for Housing and Homelessness, Felicity Buchan said: “Everyone should have a safe and secure home. This government is determined to prevent homelessness and to get vulnerable families and individuals the support they need. Whether it’s emergency housing, support to pay a deposit, or mediation to prevent eviction, the package will provide help to those who need it the most at the discretion of those who know them best.”
The homelessness and rough sleeping strategy will be discussed at Lincoln council’s policy scrutiny committee on Tuesday, January 10.
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Exciting news for MyLocal app users and The Lincolnite readers! Our latest update is now available to download from your app store and comes packed with the best local news experience you can enjoy.
Revamped News Feed: Enjoy faster loading times and smoother scrolling that make catching up on local news a breeze.
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