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<p>The Government is committed to reducing homelessness and rough sleeping. No one
should ever have to sleep rough. That is why last summer we published the cross-government
Rough Sleeping Strategy. This sets out an ambitious £100 million package to help people
who sleep rough now, but also puts in place the structures that will end rough sleeping
once and for all. The Government has now committed over £1.2 billion to tackle homelessness
and rough sleeping over the spending review period.</p><p>In its first year, our Rough
Sleeping Initiative (RSI) provided over 1,750 new bed spaces and 500 staff. This year
we have expanded the RSI with investment of £46 million for 246 areas – providing
funding for an estimated 2,600 bed spaces and 750 staff.</p><p>Although our data is
still experimental the indications are that people who do not have priority need are
being assisted by local authorities to prevent or relieve their homelessness. During
the first 3 quarters for which we have published data 189,760 households have had
a duty to prevent or relieve homelessness accepted, and only 6,020 households have
been issued with a 'non priority homeless' decision. Our data indicates that less
than 10 per cent of all applicants are homeless due to Domestic Abuse, and local authorities
will be more inclined to provide accommodation to victims of abuse than others where
there are competing demands for accommodation that is available to single people.
People who are found to have no priority need are still entitled to assistance to
relieve their homelessness.</p><p>The Homelessness Reduction Act is still very new
and we expect outcomes to improve as the new duties are better understood. It is also
important to understand that local authorities are adjusting to new reporting requirements
that affect data quality, which is why MHCLG published data is experimental.</p><p>
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