£1m funding to tackle rough sleeping by Christmas

More than £1m has been given to York and North Yorkshire to get rough sleepers off the streets by Christmas.

The money from the government comes after the prime minister pledged to end rough sleeping across the country when he first entered Downing Street in the summer.

The funding, given to the combined authority from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MCLG), has been split between City of York Council and North Yorkshire Council in the first year of the three-year scheme.

David Skaith, mayor of York and North Yorkshire, said the extra funding would tackle the "root causes that prevent people getting the support they need".

Official government figures estimate that about 50 people slept rough across York and North Yorkshire during 2025-26.

That was down from 64 the previous year, but remains a concern for the region's leaders.

To address it, in the first instalment of the funding, City of York Council has received £484,314, while North Yorkshire Council got £578,361.

They said the money would be used for rapid support and accommodation for people sleeping rough, alongside support for the most long-term affected and the delivery of longer-term accommodation.

Anna Perrett, executive member for housing at City of York Council, said the authority would work "directly with people sleeping rough to meet their individual needs" and to help find them "suitable accommodation with tailored support".

She said they were "working closely with partner organisations across the city – including those in health, probation and voluntary and community organisations – to ensure that we continue to offer the best possible solutions to each person sleeping rough in York".

York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority (YNYCA) said it had approved a new homelessness and rough sleeping strategy action plan aimed at making it rare and brief.

It is expected to be presented to the government in early December.

Carl Les, North Yorkshire Council leader and member of the Combined Authority, said they had invested in more than £11m in temporary accommodation to "help meet increasing demand".

He said "preventing homelessness and rough sleeping remains a significant challenge against a backdrop of rising housing costs and a growing number of people with multiple and complex needs".

Les said they were "using funding generated through the second homes council tax premium to deliver a new supported housing scheme for people with a history of rough sleeping who need long-term support".

In August, the government announced its Rough Sleeping Programme (RSP) to end the growing problem.

A £442m package to provide emergency accommodation and practical support to rough sleepers around England was announced shortly after Andy Burnham became prime minister.

The RSP funding allocated to YNYCA is part of a proposed three-year funding programme with a total allocation of £4.3m up to and including 2028-29 - subject to confirmation by MHCLG.

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