WARRINGTON Borough Council will receive £167,000 in emergency funding to support rough sleepers.

Housing secretary Robert Jenrick has announced 274 local authorities will get money to provide accommodation for people at risk of homelessness as part of the Government’s commitment to end rough sleeping.

It comes following efforts to secure accommodation for the majority of people on the streets during the height of the pandemic to protect lives and prevent the spread of the virus.

The Government says it is building on that progress by providing ongoing support and emergency accommodation for rough sleepers,  including by helping people into the private rented sector, secure interim accommodation such as supported housing and assessing the wider support these people need in order to rebuild their lives.

The funding aims to ensure that vulnerable people and rough sleepers continue to have safe accommodation and the care and support they need to ensure as few as possible return to the streets.

Separately, applications are now being considered for a further £161 million fund intended to provide more than 3,300 additional supported homes this year for those sleeping rough or currently housed in emergency accommodation.

The bidding has now closed and details on successful bids will be announced in due course.

This is part of broader support to provide 6,000 such homes over four years.

Warrington South Conservative MP Andy Carter says homelessness ‘doesn’t just happen by accident’.

He added: “It’s caused by difficult and complicated problems like addiction, mental illness or a relationship breaking down.

“Fixing those problems means being ready to intervene with a tailored, individual answer to get someone’s life back on track, before things start to spiral downhill quickly.

“I’m glad Warrington Borough Council is getting extra cash so they can do this better. It won’t fix everything in one go, but it’s an absolutely essential step in the right direction.”