Mayor announces £3.7m of funding to help homeless

Nearly £4m has been pledged by the West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA) to help people sleeping rough across the region.

West Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin said the £3.7m would help provide accommodation and targeted support to people with the most complex needs.

It comes after the government said it was doubling its funding in support of Prime Minster Andy Burnham's pledge to give every rough sleeper in England a route off the streets by Christmas.

According to the latest government data, at least 141 people are thought to be experiencing rough sleeping every night across West Yorkshire.

Brabin said: "I've always said everyone should have a warm, safe, and secure place to call home, and with the winter fast approaching, it's only right we step in with support for people who need it most.

"Rough sleeping has become far too commonplace, and we must do everything we can to make sure nobody is forced to sleep rough in West Yorkshire."

The funding has been split between the five West Yorkshire councils as follows:

• Bradford - £688,194
• Calderdale - £255,991
• Kirklees - £470,045
• Leeds - £1,641,767
• Wakefield - £535,691

A further £111,083 will be used by WYCA for "regional co-ordination", a spokesperson said.

Shelley Joyce, is the director of Leeds charity Homeless Street Angels, which has provided housing support, food parcels, fuel vouchers and life skills classes since 2017.

She said the funding sounded "great in theory" but wanted to know more about where the money would be spent.

"We have appealed for funding recently and we have been advised we are not eligible as we do not provide accommodation," she said.

"We strongly believe that prevention is better than the cure and that support must begin when it is needed and not dissipate once a client gets a property.

"We have supported many clients who have slipped through the net and we have watched them flourish as a result of this support."

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