Stuart Anderson MP has welcomed extra funding to prevent and alleviate homelessness in the City of Wolverhampton. The City Council has been allocated an additional £142,960 on top of £886,353 it has already been allocated through the Homelessness Prevention Grant, providing the city with more than a million pounds. It is part of a £2 billion national drive to end rough sleeping over the next three years.
Stuart said that the extra funding will equip the Council with greater flexibility to target additional support to those who most need it, helping prevent vulnerable households from becoming homeless. This can include helping households at risk of eviction pay off their rent arrears or supporting families struggling to secure a new home with their search and deposits. The city has also been allocated £528,907 through Discretionary Housing Payments to help residents meet a rent shortfall or deposits.
In addition, the City of Wolverhampton Council has been allocated an extra £28,767 to cover the cost of expanding priority housing need to individuals who are forced into homelessness by domestic abuse, following the landmark Domestic Abuse Act 2021. It follows the £652,704 that was allocated to Wolverhampton for the delivery of domestic abuse support in safe accommodation earlier this year.
Millions of vulnerable families will also benefit this winter from a wider raft of cost-of-living support, including assistance with energy bills and direct payments of £1,200 for vulnerable and low-income households. Overall, the Government is spending £55 billion to directly help households and businesses with their energy bills. This is amongst the largest of such support plans in Europe.
Stuart Anderson MP said: “We are committed to ending rough sleeping for good within this parliament. This additional funding will equip the council with the resources that it needs to swiftly and effectively support vulnerable households and prevent homelessness in our city. It will also help to ensure that victims of domestic abuse are fully supported, especially when they are in housing need.”
Minister for Housing and Homelessness, Felicity Buchan MP said: “We understand that many people are struggling this winter and we are taking action to protect vulnerable families at risk of homelessness this Christmas. The increased support will make a real difference to those most at risk by helping them to pay their rents or find new homes.”