£1.8m funding boost to tackle homelessness in Blackburn with Darwen. New strategy focuses on prevention and support services.
Councilor Damian Talbot shared news in a report for a council meeting in February. He announced a new strategy for 2025 that specifically targets homelessness and rough sleeping.
The government is giving over £1.8 million through the Ministry of Housing. One grant helps prevent homelessness, totaling £794,388 for the coming year. They will use it for temporary housing, assisting families facing eviction or abuse.
Another grant supports rough sleeping prevention and totals £362,200. The council will also receive £261,608 for housing rough sleepers. Additionally, a grant provides funding for substance abuse treatment, amounting to £265,363.
The town also gets money from a larger program that offers support to adults facing hardships. People struggling with homelessness will benefit, as it addresses substance misuse, mental health issues, domestic abuse, and criminal history.
Talbot’s report mentioned a funding change, limiting temporary housing spending to 51%. This does not affect Blackburn with Darwen, as they spend little on such accommodation now. They prioritize staffing and prevention efforts.
The Northwest spends 30% on temporary housing, but Blackburn with Darwen spends below five percent. Their model is self-funded and quite effective. They plan to focus activities on preventing homelessness early, refining this in their new strategy.
The strategy will analyze homelessness data. The town will then launch a new forum, involving various council departments, charities, faith groups, and people with past homelessness experiences.
The initial forum meeting is planned for March 2025. Key people involved will participate in the discussions.