Northampton scheme to house rough sleepers in hotels during lockdown extended to end of June

A scheme to house Northampton's rough sleepers in two hotels during the coronavirus pandemic has been extended until the end of June.

In late March, Northampton's Single Homelessness Forum moved 90 men and women from off the town's streets and into two hotels where they could be fed and supported during the lockdown.

The scheme was set to end today (June 12) - but now, it has been extended until June 30.

There are now nearly 120 people staying at the hotels and have been receiving three meals per day, toiletries, fresh clothing and access to treatment and support services.

It comes after councils were given £3.2m in March to provide emergency accommodation for homeless people - but the Manchester Evening News later published a leaked report showing ministers had "quietly pulled the plug" on the scheme.

BBC Northampton reported that the extension of the hotel booking scheme has been paid for by a combination of government funding and housing benefit.

Speaking in April, chair of the Single homelessness Forum Reverend Sue Faulkner said: "This COVID-19 public health emergency, and our response to it, has shown us that rough sleeping isn’t inevitable and that, if we all work together, we can break this vicious circle, keep people safe and prevent rough sleepers from returning to the street.

“Organisations such as NAASH have a proven track record of successfully supporting tenants and working well with private landlords to ensure that housing is well managed and tenancy conditions are complied with.

“The private rented sector has an important role to play in our plans to move everyone on from the hotels and we are hoping that up to 40 people will be rehoused in the private sector during the next seven weeks.”

Landlords who are interested in letting their private rented accommodation to homeless people should contact NAASH on (01604) 630042.