‘It’s pointless’: Leeds homeless charity warns £1.6m grant to fix rough sleeping is only a ‘temporary fix’
‘They need to be treated with empathy, and as human beings’
A Leeds homelessness charity has warned a £1.6m grant to get rough sleepers off the streets by Christmas is a “pointless” temporary solution - as they call for better wraparound support.
Leeds City Council has agreed to allocate £1.64m from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government as part of the Government's three year Rough Sleeping Programme.
Homeless Street Angels has criticised these plans, with its co-founder Shelley Joyce questioning what will happen after the festive period.
She told the Yorkshire Evening Post: “My main issue is what’s going to happen after Christmas is over.
“It’s temporary accommodation for a temporary solution, and it’s pointless.”
The initial target is to provide a suitable offer of accommodation for everyone sleeping rough by Christmas, with the longer-term aim of helping people move towards independent living and preventing them from returning to homelessness.
But Shelley says she fears the focus is too heavily on getting people off the streets before Christmas rather than providing the support they need afterwards.
Her sister Becky, co-founder of Homeless Street Angels, said they had twice tried to apply for funding but was told the charity did not meet the criteria.
She told the YEP: “If our charity doesn’t fit the criteria to get people off the streets, then I don’t know who does.”
Becky argued more investment is needed in mental health services, addiction support and ongoing care, rather than simply providing people with somewhere to live.
“When they put them in a property, they tick them off as a number, they don’t see them as a human being,” she added.
Shelley said some people needed significant support to adjust to life indoors and spending long periods of time on the streets.
She recalled one man who had been given a flat, but continued sleeping on his balcony because he had become accustomed to the noise of the streets.
“You’ve got to support people once they’re in the property too, or else it’s a useless scheme,” she said.
The charity runs a support centre offering practical help, including budgeting and life-skills workshops, to prepare people for independent living.
Shelley said people could struggle with debt, rent appears and managing a home without the right support, even after being given accommodation.
She said: “They need to be treated as human beings.
“Everybody has a different story and a different reason for being on the streets, and they all need to be treated with empathy.”
The Government’s Rough Sleeping Programme was announced as part of a wider commitment to tackle homelessness, with charities, businesses and volunteers expected to play a role in supporting people.
But Shelley says grassroots organisations providing outreach are at risk of being overlooked in favour of services focused on accommodation.
She warned that offering people somewhere to stay without sustained support could give them false hope before leaving them facing homelessness once again.
Leeds City Council executive member for housing and hubs Councillor Asghar Khan told the YEP:
"We are very pleased to welcome this additional funding to support some of the most vulnerable people in Leeds, those experiencing rough sleeping. Through the Leeds Street Support Partnership and services commissioned by Leeds City Council such as the Crypt, St Annes, Change Grow Live (Street Outreach team) and BARCA-Leeds, we are committed to offering people the help they need as well as safe and secure emergency accommodation.
"This extra funding will enable us to build on this work with the aim of ensuring no-one feels they have no choice but to sleep rough in Leeds. If anyone has concerns for the welfare of a person sleeping rough they are asked to contact StreetLink via StreetLink - Connecting people sleeping rough to local services.”