Recently I welcomed Eddie Hughes, minister for rough sleeping and housing, to Watford to show him how local organisations are working to tackle rough sleeping.

Watford is incredibly lucky to have New Hope and One YMCA, who work really well together. Since 2020 Watford has received more than £4.5 million in additional funding from central government to help those sleeping rough.

Thanks to this additional funding aiding the work of local organisations, numbers in Watford have plummeted. However, we must ensure that rough sleeping is eradicated, which is why I invited the minister to meet those who are working hard to make this happen.

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The government took unprecedented steps to protect rough sleepers during the pandemic, launching the ‘Everyone In’ initiative. The Government is determined to build on the success of this, helping make sure people continue to have a safe place to stay and can begin to rebuild their lives with wrap-around services and care.

The Minister visited New Hope’s Haven in Whippendell Road, which focuses on providing humanitarian aid. Following this he was shown around New Hope’s Sanctuary site, where staff and volunteers work to support people at a critical moment, helping prepare them to move into longer-term supported accommodation.

The visit ended at One YMCA, which received £2.2 million in government funding to provide an additional 34 self-contained studios for local individuals who were previously homeless.

Ensuring that everyone has a roof over their head is crucial, and the Government is committed to ending rough sleeping once and for all during this Parliament. An additional £2 billion has been committed over the next three years to tackle rough sleeping and being able to show the exemplary work taking place in Watford means this work can be replicated nationally.

  • Dean Russell is Conservative MP for Watford