Stuart Anderson MP has backed action to level up the quality of supported housing in Wolverhampton. The Government has announced the city will be one of 26 areas to benefit from its Supported Housing Improvement Programme to drive up the quality of supported housing in the area. The Supported Housing Improvement Programme is a £20 million fund running to 2025 to support local authorities in the most affected areas in England to address poor quality supported housing. The funding award to the Wolverhampton City Council is for £555,250 to March 2025. It will draw on the outcomes and good practice from earlier pilots in five local authorities, including Birmingham. Stuart has welcomed the action, which sends a clear message to unscrupulous providers that the Government will not tolerate poor-quality support, the exploitation of vulnerable people, or abuse of the supported housing system. It comes after Michael Gove wrote to all councils and housing associations, saying they must raise the bar dramatically on standards and take urgent action where people complain about damp and mould.
Stuart also welcomed a £1.5 million investment for local services at the frontline of tackling homelessness in Wolverhampton and the wilder region. It is part of a new, cross-government strategy published in September to drive forward its manifesto commitment to end rough sleeping for good. The strategy aims to ensure that rough sleeping is prevented wherever possible and if it does occur, that it is rare, brief, and non-recurring. For Wolverhampton, the strategy provides £1,577,150 to help rough sleepers off the streets and into accommodation with rapid and tailored support to rebuild their lives. It includes £1,377,150 from the flagship Rough Sleeping Initiative, which enables partnership working between local councils and the voluntary sector, with health services and other agencies to make sure no one falls through the cracks. Stuart has welcomed the three-year allocation, which provides councils with long-term funding to support those sleeping rough or at risk of rough sleeping.
Stuart also endorsed the decision to extend the Housing First Pilots in the West Midlands, which helps rough sleepers with complex needs access independent long-term housing as a secure and stable platform from which other issues can be addressed. In addition, Wolverhampton has been allocated £200,000 from the Rough Sleeping Accommodation Programme, which includes funding for specialist staff to help occupants towards independent living, helping them find work, manage their finances, and access health services. A new data framework will enable us to identify people at risk of rough sleeping earlier, provide the help they need, and help track the progress made. Significant action has already been taken, which has driven a 43% drop in rough sleeping since 2019 and rough sleeping has fallen to an 8-year low. As a result, England now one of the lowest rough sleeping rates in the world.
Stuart Anderson MP said: “We are sending a clear message that time is up for rogue landlords who take money from the taxpayer while exploiting vulnerable people. By taking this action, we will ensure residents of supported housing can be confident in the standard of both their accommodation and the support available. I also welcome the new, significant package of support to deliver on our mission to end rough sleeping for good. The £1.5 million investment for local services will help to ensure that, should anyone find themselves sleeping on the streets, that the experience is brief, non-recurring, and that support promptly provided to address any underlying vulnerabilities.”