The Government scheme allowed Kingston to extend outreach provision for rough sleepers and the winter night shelter provision, early morning assistance, intensive support for those with complex needs and accommodation in shared houses.
Cllr Emily Davey, Portfolio Holder for Housing and Public Health at Kingston Council, said:
“The global COVID-19 pandemic meant we had to change the way we met the needs of local rough sleepers. We responded to this challenge by block booking a Kingston hotel in addition to other accommodation units.
“I want to thank all those volunteers, KCAH, Spear and council officers who worked round the clock to get people in and keep them safe. You have been amazing. When the call came you stepped up. Now we have to look to the future. We have come so far together. We don't want to turn people out on the streets again especially at this time. Instead we have been working with them to plan the support they need to help them into permanent homes.
“There are no quick fixes and COVID-19 is not going away. The end of the furlough scheme and the downturn in the economy means we are likely to see a new generation of rough sleepers on our streets. Therefore it is vital we get the first group of rough sleepers settled before the next group of rough sleepers arrives on our streets and needs help.”
The council worked in close partnership with KCAH and SPEAR as well as other voluntary agencies to provide food and support to those who needed it. Since the end of March 153 individuals have been provided with accommodation to prevent rough sleeping either for the whole period or for a short while. Some of these moved on to other accommodation and others made their own arrangements. At the beginning of September 116 people were still being provided with accommodation.
Matt Hatton, Chief Executive Officer at KCAH, said:
“The collaborative working driven by Kingston Council has been essential as partner organisations address the issue of homelessness, particularly rough sleeping, in our borough. The structure that has been created over the past couple of years meant that when lockdown happened, everyone was able to mobilise in a particularly effective way to bring rough sleepers off the streets. However, now we are entering another challenging time as winter approaches - especially if a night shelter scheme cannot run due to the risk implications arising from COVID-19. Regardless, the staff and volunteers of KCAH will continue to support as many people as we can who experience some form of housing crisis.”