Burnley and Padiham’s MP Antony Higginbotham has spoken about the need to end homelessness after raising the issue in Parliament.
Mr Higginbotham wrote to the Secretary of State to confirm the level of funding which has been provided to end rough sleeping within Burnley and Padiham since he was elected.
Last week homelessness charity Emmaus reported an increase in the number of those facing homelessness within the borough which Burnley’s MP has told the express is “unacceptable”.
It follows an open letter from them calling on the Chancellor to address the financial situation facing homelessness services last month.
Antony Higginbotham MP, who has fought for extra funding to house those living on the streets, or in danger of being made homeless said:
Everybody deserves a roof over their head! In that I’m crystal clear. And is why since I was elected I’ve not only been pushing for funding in this area to get people off the streets. But also reaching out to those who have found themselves in this situation to make sure they are housed that very night.
A lot of this involves working with Burnley Borough Council and I’ve played my part in securing the finances they need to deliver. As the Government have confirmed to me this week, since 2021 that’s been around £1.6 million for Burnley and Padiham.
That’s £1 million through a Homelessness Prevention Grant and over £600,000 through the Rough Sleeping Initiative.
I simply won’t accept that in this day and age anybody should be on the streets though. And so if you know of anybody that is, then please be in touch with my office and I'll do everything I can to get them the support they need.
Responding to the query by Burnley and Padihams MP, the Minister for Housing and Communities Felicity Buchan MP said:
Burnley Borough Council have received £1,080,784 in Homelessness Prevention Grant funding since the first year of the grant, 2021/22.
They have also been beneficiaries of up to £650,497 through direct allocations and as members of joint local authority bids in Rough Sleeping Initiative funding since they were first funded in 2020/21.
