Council gets £3m to buy 25 homes for rough sleepers

Peterborough City Council will buy up to 25 homes to support rough sleepers in the city

A council has received £3m to buy 25 properties for rough sleepers across the city.

Peterborough City Council (PCC) successfully applied to the government's Single Homelessness Accommodation Programme (SHAP).

It said it would buy the one-bedroom properties to help rehome rough sleepers with multiple and complex needs.

PCC housing needs operations manager Sarah Scase said: “The aim remains to get rough sleepers off the streets and into suitable accommodation."

Of the funds, £2m would be spent on properties with the remaining £1m designated for support workers, the council said.

The authority has a year to purchase the properties, but it is hoped that four would be ready by the end of December.

The city council said it would also support residents to understand requirements of living independently, including looking after the property and paying bills.

Ms Scase said her team had supported 327 people so far this year and more than 260 had received accommodation.

She claimed PCC prevented 82 people "returning to rough sleeping from hospital or accommodation settings".