The UK government has pledged £442m to offer everyone sleeping rough in England a route off the streets by Christmas as Prime Minister Andy Burnham steps up his drive to end rough sleeping. Andy Burnham

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The funding will support emergency accommodation and practical help with housing, health and other needs, with the government saying the programme will provide immediate routes off the streets while also helping people move into settled accommodation.

The announcement comes one month after Burnham made ending rough sleeping his first instruction as Prime Minister.

According to the report on the Home Office website on Wednesday, Burnham also announced plans for a national summit in the autumn, bringing together leaders from business, finance, charities, health and faith communities to discuss how different sectors can contribute to ending rough sleeping.

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The government said the £442m package is fully funded from uncommitted budgets at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

PUNCH Online reports that rough sleepers are individuals who live and sleep in the open air or in places not meant for human habitation, such as streets, park benches, doorways, cars, or abandoned buildings, because they have no secure or stable home.

While all rough sleepers are homeless, not all homeless people sleep rough; many live temporarily in hostels, shelters, or on friends’ couches

Burnham said, “No-one should have to bed down in a doorway or outside a station. But we’ve seen it for so long that it feels like Westminster has started to accept it.

“I won’t accept it. That’s why my first instruction as Prime Minister was to end rough sleeping. And it’s why today we’re getting started with a national drive to get everyone in for Christmas.

“We did it in the pandemic. We can do it again. But it needs all of us. Government will put the money in. But I’m asking leaders in communities and sectors across society to play their part locally too.

📰 Source: Punch Nigeria