The government has announced extra funding of almost £140,000 to help Brighton and Hove City Council support rough sleepers over the winter.
The council is one of seven across Sussex which the government said were “identified as facing the greatest pressures” and will receive more than £450,000.
In an announcement on Wednesday (6 November) the government said: “The winter period is particularly high-risk for individuals sleeping rough due to increased risks of ill health from extreme weather conditions.
“People who are homeless or rough sleeping are 8 to 12 times more likely than the general population to die prematurely, particularly from chronic cardiovascular and respiratory diseases.
“In recognition of the significant pressures that local areas face in increasing provision of emergency accommodation and additional support required to safeguard vulnerable people at risk from sleeping rough this winter, the government announced £10 million in funding for rough sleeping winter pressures 2024-25 on Wednesday (6 November).
“The £10 million fund has been allocated across London and to a further 115 local authorities in England.
“This funding complements the Rough Sleeping Initiative 2022-25 in supporting local authorities to create additional off the street capacity for people sleeping rough in winter.”
The extra housing includes “providing support to veterans, care leavers and victims of domestic abuse at risk of or currently experiencing rough sleeping as well as to people who have slept rough long term”.
The government added: “Ultimately, services provided with the winter pressures funding will reduce the risk of deaths from exposure to extreme weather for the most vulnerable individuals.”
Brighton and Hove will receive the highest amount – almost a third of the total allocated to the county – with Hastings Borough Council in line for £97,000.
Scores of homeless people from Brighton and Hove have been housed in Eastbourne in recent years, including during the coronavirus pandemic – and Eastbourne Borough Council is due to receive £85,000.
On Wednesday, the Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner chaired the first meeting of a new cross-government group of ministers intended to work with councils to tackle the root causes of rising homelessness.
The extra funding announced this week comes as more children are living in temporary housing than ever before, with Hastings putting up the most children in temporary housing outside London.
The council can’t be trusted with money.