Milton Keynes Council has received a £26,000 share of Government emergency support for homeless people during the coronavirus outbreak.
Cllr Nigel Long, (Lab, Bletchley West) the cabinet member for housing, welcomed the boost which is being targeted at those staying in night shelters or assessment hubs, as well as people who are sleeping rough.
“It all helps, of course,” said Cllr Long. “We will be applying for more in time but it is a tiny amount compared to the scale of the overall homeless problem.”
There are an estimated 50 people rough sleeping in MK at any one time but that compares to 1,000 households in temporary accommodation.
“Last Friday we had 1,001 families in temporary accommodation, which was a drop of about 16 on the previous week” said Cllr Long. “And we have increased our budget for that by £4 million to £12 million for 2020-21.”
Cllr Long said that the council is aware of the individuals living on the streets, and not all of them sought help. He is worried that their health could be at risk in the current outbreak.
A part of the issue is with hostels having dormitory rooms with 10 or 12 people in them. “We’ve got to try to move them into single room accommodation,” he said.
Cllr Long also called on the Government to help people to maintain their incomes, and their ability to pay their rents, during the current crisis.
“It was a gaping hole in what the Chancellor said on Tuesday.People who have homes have been given mortgage holidays, but what about people who rent,” he said.
He also wants to see action to prevent landlords from evicting people, which he suspects is happening locally. “We can also work with private landlords to help them,” he said.
The cash boost came as part of a Government announcement on Tuesday (March 17).
Communities secretary Robert Jenrick MP announced a national total of £3.2 million in emergency funding to help rough sleepers to self-isolate.
The money is meant to reimburse councils for the cost of providing accommodation and services to rough sleepers, and those at risk of rough sleeping, who are suffering from or at risk of coronavirus.
Mr Jenrick said the initial funding “will ensure councils are able to put emergency measures in place to help some of the most vulnerable people to successfully self-isolate.
“I would urge anyone who is concerned about someone sleeping rough to use the government’s StreetLink app to alert local support services who can reach out to those in need at this difficult time,” he said.
Public Health England (PHE) has also released guidance for providers of hostels and day centres on how to handle suspected cases of coronavirus.
Dr Yvonne Doyle, medical director at Public Health England said: “People sleeping rough are often in poor health and are particularly vulnerable. That’s why this funding is so important, ensuring that rough sleepers who get symptoms have somewhere safe and protective to stay, and helping to prevent the spread of the infection.”
