LONG term accommodation will be offered to homeless people housed during the pandemic thanks to a cash boost from government.

It was announced recently the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead (RBWM) secured £145,000 from the government’s Next Steps Accommodation Programme (NSAP) to support vulnerable people and fund additional resources.

RBWM was one of 274 councils who will share £91.5 million from NSAP – which provides financial resources needed to support local authorities and their partners to prevent rough sleepers from returning to the streets.

The award will fund two additional officers, one to act as landlord liaison officer, securing longer term properties in the private rented sector and one to support single households with the transition into home.

As part of the government’s ‘Everyone In’ initiative – which housed those at risk or were at risk of rough sleeping or sleeping in unsafe communal settings into emergency accommodation during the pandemic – RBWM have housed over 100 extra households in temporary accommodation since the lockdown.

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This includes 80 single homeless households who were threatened with sleeping rough.

The funding will allow the housing team to support these households into longer term accommodation.

Councillor Ross McWilliams (Conservative: Cox Green), lead member for housing, communications and youth engagement, said: “I am delighted we have secured this additional support funding, which will enable our housing service to continue providing support to our vulnerable residents during these difficult times.

“This funding will particularly help us support residents, who have lost their homes during the pandemic and who have been forced into temporary accommodation, into longer-term housing.

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“Our priorities during this pandemic continue to be supporting our rough sleepers off the streets, helping people in need through our housing service, working with our charitable partners to get swift support to people who need it, and delivering long-term housing solutions.

“At all times our approach is underpinned by our core values as a service of compassion, thoroughness and cooperation.”