Newcastle-under-Lyme homelessness support hub planned

Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council wants to end rough sleeping in the town by 2025

A support hub is being planned as part of a town's bid to end rough sleeping.

Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council is seeking a location for the hub, which will be staffed 24 hours a day and provide emergency accommodation.

Funded through the government's Shared Prosperity Fund, it is designed to help meet the council's target of ending rough sleeping in the area by 2025.

Council leader Simon Tagg said it would be support for people to help them "relaunch their lives".

The council says the hub will also provide a safe space for investigations and referrals.

Organisations including the Department for Work and Pensions; Citizens Advice Bureau; rough sleeping services; housing providers; probation officials; adult social care workers; homeless healthcare workers; and drug and alcohol support teams are expected to use the hub.

The aim is to help homeless people without requiring them to book an appointment.

"There may be many reasons why they've ended up on the street, but we have a role as a council to ensure we can get people into fixed home addresses to help them relaunch their lives," Mr Tagg added.