By Tony O’Riley-
Over 130 homelessness charities in England are to receive a slice of a £6m emergency grant to deal with the impact of the coronavirus crisis.
The money will come from the Homelessness Response Fund, made available by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and the grants were managed independently by the umbrella charity Homeless Link.
This funding is part of a £750m support package for charities announced in April.
It is expected to cater for the period after the coronavirus when contracts allowing homeless people to be accommodated in B&B’s are finished.
They are also expected to cater for those suffering from substance abuse, and help many of the homeless less move into training and employment.
Charities receiving grants include Encompass Southwest, the Helping Hands Community Project in Warwick, Stonewall Housing in East London, the Young Women’s Housing Project in Sheffield, Yorkshire and the Humber, and the Padley Group in Derby.
‘Hit hard’
Rick Henderson, chief executive of Homeless Link, said: “Homelessness charities that many vulnerable people rely upon have continued to provide invaluable support, despite being hard hit by the current public health crisis.
“This emergency funding will enable them to keep running their vital services, from specialist support for women, those experiencing domestic violence and young people, to providing hot meals or upskilling people experiencing homelessness, to name just a few.”