Centre supporting homeless adults to close

There are concerns the closure will force people back out into the cold during the toughest months

A centre providing shelter and support to homeless adults says it will close following the withdrawal of council funding.

The William Booth Centre, run by The Salvation Army, will shut its doors on 30 November, raising concerns that rough sleepers could find themselves back on the streets.

The charity said the closure came after the local authority decided to commission other organisations to provide support for homeless people in the city.

Birmingham City Council, which is in financial crisis, said it remained committed to providing a bed for anyone who needed one.

The centre currently offers catered accommodation to 74 adults over the age of 25, primarily consisting of single rooms with en-suite bathrooms, as well as five bedsits and five, one-bedroom flats.

As the date approaches for the adults to leave their homes, a spokesperson for The Salvation Army said: "Our priority is to ensure that our residents and staff have a smooth transition between services."

The supported accommodation offers each resident a key worker to help them

Other charities have expressed their concern at the number of emergency beds available for rough sleepers, with the permanent closure of Washington House, another place of shelter in the city, also imminent.

Phil Ansell, manager of Birmingham City Mission's care centre, previously described the situation as "uncertain", warning that some in hostel accommodation could find themselves out in the cold.

"The worst case scenario with the potential changes is there may be an increase in homeless people dying during the winter," Mr Ansell said.

'Fifty years of work'

The Salvation Army said it remain committed to helping those who use its services, but the changes in funding meant it needed time to "reflect and review" how it could continue.

It added: "We have served the people in Birmingham for the last 50 years and we believe our work here is not yet finished."

Birmingham City Council said it recognised the "high level of need for homeless services" in the city.

"We are committed to working on behalf of the most vulnerable people... and delivering solutions that offer the best outcomes for all those who come into contact with our service," it said.

The local authority added that meeting the challenge was not only about the number of emergency bed spaces, "but ensuring there is sufficient move-on to maintain capacity in emergency".

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