Milton Keynes City Council is redoubling its efforts to end rough sleeping by approving a £4.8 million boost that will give even more people access to safe accommodation, ongoing rehabilitation support and a permanent route away from the streets.
People sleeping rough in Milton Keynes are offered help to come indoors, which usually starts at the council’s Fishermead centre which has 20 private rooms with facilities, and leads to what’s called Next Steps housing, where people build confidence to live independently. Where needed, rough sleepers are provided with specialist long-term mental health and addiction recovery support, as well as practical assistance to help them settle into accommodation, sustain a tenancy, manage day-to-day living and build a more stable future. Over the last year, the city council has helped almost 150 people return to a stable life off the streets, some living in Next Steps housing for three years or longer.
Council outreach workers are on the streets 365 days a year, building trust and offering rough sleepers the safe accommodation and practical support. Not everyone is able to accept help straight away, and a person’s rehabilitation journey may not be straightforward, but the team never gives up on anyone.
The new funding, which comes from government, will help the city council expand how it reaches people with very complex needs who remain rough sleeping. This includes work with partners who have existing relationships with rough sleepers, developing more flexible options for accommodation including for couples, and other routes that will be unveiled in the weeks ahead.
"Nobody should have to sleep rough in Milton Keynes. We’ve helped many people off the streets for good, but it’s clear not everyone is able to accept that help straight away, sometimes due to complex barriers that can take time to unpack. We’ll be redoubling our efforts and using this money to do some things differently, broadening the routes away from rough sleeping so we can help more people to a safer and more stable future. We will never give up on anyone."