COUNCILLORS will be asked to back a major funding boost to help people sleeping rough in the district off the streets and into accommodation.

Bradford has seen a significant increase in the number of people sleeping rough and last year's official government count identified 24 people sleeping living on the streets, almost double the count of 2017.

This figure was comparatively high compared to other cities in the Yorkshire region and it was agreed that there needed to be a focus on reducing this number.

A council motion proposed by Councillors Alex Ross-Shaw and Susan Hinchcliffe sets out their plans to invest an additional £360,000 into the Housing First project – a new model which has proved successful in an initial pilot in Bradford as well as in other areas.

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The extra £360,000, which would be allocated through the council’s budget process, will enable 30 people to access services that provide support to help people off the streets and into stable homes while helping to comprehensively address the causes of their situation. The Labour motion for the extra investment will be debated at Full Council on Tuesday.

Under the Housing First programme, rough sleepers are provided with a permanent, affordable home, rather than a hostel or temporary accommodation. At the same time as being given a place to rent, they also receive support for any specific needs, such as mental ill-health and substance misuse.

Housing First gives people who have experienced homelessness and chronic health and social care needs a stable home from which to rebuild their lives. This approach was developed in America in the early 1990s and has proved to be very successful in countries such as France, Finland and Denmark; and since 2010, a growing number of local authorities have established Housing First services to address rough sleeping.

Housing First provides somebody with a permanent home from which they will receive intensive support to address their health and social problems from.

Housing First will complement existing services already established in Bradford to reduce rough sleeping.

Bradford Council commissioned the No Second Night Out service which has been in operation since 2015 to identify and support new rough sleepers off the street and into emergency accommodation.

In July, Government funding allowed the council to establish the Bradford Homelessness Outreach Partnership to work directly with people and find solutions to the many issues that have led them to sleeping rough.

In the first four months of operation BHOP has accommodate 50 rough sleepers into accommodation.

Bradford Council began a district-wide Housing First pilot in August 2018.

After 12 months, figures showed the success rate matched or exceeded the results achieved in other Housing First projects in the UK and across Europe.

The majority of people passed the six-month point of their tenancy. There was a reduction in A&E attendance and the length of stays in hospital was also reduced. During the pilot there was also notable engagement with substance misuse treatment and support for adhering to licence conditions through the criminal justice system.

Anyone concerned about someone sleeping rough in Bradford can contact No Second Night Out by phone on 01274 309165 or by email at Bradford@humankindcharity.org.uk.

The service will respond to referrals within 24 hours and aims to identify and work with the individual to assess their housing and other needs as quickly as possible.

Referrals to the Bradford Homelessness Outreach Partnership can be made by phone on 07971 715808 or email bradfordhop@hortonhousing.co.uk.

A worker will very quickly establish contact with the individual to address their rough sleeping.

Councillor Alex Ross-Shaw, Executive Member for Regeneration, Planning and Transport, said: “Homelessness is a big national problem and there is a moral and economic imperative to do something about it.

"Here in Bradford we are committed to addressing the complex causes and symptoms of rough sleeping in a joined-up way. In terms of addressing their complex needs, we have found that the Housing First scheme is proving very successful in supporting people off the streets and into long-term homes. We are pleased to propose an additional investment in Housing First to build on its success and help more individuals in the coming year.”