New analysis shows that the government’s trailblazing Rough Sleeping Initiative is having a significant impact on reducing the numbers of vulnerable people sleeping rough on the country’s streets. 

The Rough Sleeping Initiative – a cornerstone of the government’s ambitious Rough Sleeping Strategy – has provided £76 million to 246 councils across the country to date, supporting rough sleepers in their area off the streets and into secure accommodation where they can get the help they need to rebuild their lives. 

The report published today (12 September 2019) shows that the Rough Sleeping Initiative has reduced the number of vulnerable people sleeping rough by 32%, compared to the number it would have been had the initiative not been in place.  

The analysis estimates the impact of the initiative from its launch in March 2018 until autumn that year and takes account of a range of factors, including whether councils submitted estimates or counts in the official annual rough sleeping statistics, the weather on the night the data was collected, and local housing and labour market conditions, to zero in on the effects of the initiative. 

Welcoming the evaluation findings, Communities Secretary Rt Hon Robert Jenrick MP said: 

Since becoming Communities Secretary in July, I have been able to see first-hand the outstanding work taking place under the Rough Sleeping Initiative every single day to transform the lives of society’s most vulnerable – and these figures are proof that our strategy to end rough sleeping is working. 

But we must keep that momentum up, which is why we have committed a record investment to tackling homelessness and rough sleeping in the months ahead – ensuring progress continues to be made and people are given the help they need to turn their lives around. 

Today’s figures come just days after the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced £422 million of funding to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping – up £54 million from £368 million in 2019 to 2020. 

The Communities Secretary and the Chancellor have also announced a further £10 million to boost life-saving support for rough sleepers during the cold winter weather and has called on councils to come forward and bid for the funding now in order to step-up preparations in time for the winter months.  

Last year, funding provided by government during the coldest weather meant thousands of vulnerable rough sleepers spent the night in safe and warm accommodation, rather than on the streets. 

In August last year, the government unveiled its Rough Sleeping Strategy – backed by £100 million – which sets out the next steps towards ending rough sleeping for good.  

This forms part of a wider strategy to tackle all forms of homelessness, including: 

• investing £1.2 billon to tackle homelessness
• providing £76 million for the Rough Sleeping Initiative to 246 local authorities – including the 83 areas with the highest number of rough sleepers
• this year councils are using this investment to create an estimated 2,600 more beds and 750 additional specialist support staff
• introduced the Homelessness Reduction Act to ensure people at risk of becoming homeless get help more quickly, with councils receiving over £72 million to support them in these duties

The Rough Sleeping Initiative was announced in March 2018. 

The RSI impact evaluation published today assessed the impact of the programme compared to if the initiative had not taken place.

The impact analysis aimed to understand the impact of the Rough Sleeping Initiative on the overall numbers of people sleeping rough by comparing 83 RSI areas to a comparison group of 83 non-RSI areas. 

The evaluation estimates the overall net reduction in rough sleeping as a result of the RSI compared to if the programme had not existed.  

The analysis accounted for a range of factors, including whether councils submitted estimates or counts in the official annual rough sleeping statistics, the weather on the night the data was collected and local housing and labour market conditions, to assess the effects of the programme and ensure the results were unbiased and not the result of other external factors.  

Analysis also shows RSI areas changing their approach to measuring rough sleeping did not account for the fall in rough sleeping seen in these areas. 

The evaluation looks at the first year of funding for the programme, which saw £30 million allocated to the 83 areas of the country with the highest levels of rough sleeping based on the 2017 annual rough sleeping statistics. 

In 2019 to 2020, the government allocated a further £46 million – including £12 million for councils not previously funded – to build on the programme’s work and help even more people off the streets and to move forward with their lives. 

Analysis was independently peer reviewed by Bryson Purdon Social Research, an independent research partnership.  

In order to reach as many rough sleepers as possible, £1 million of the Cold Weather Fund will be available to providers and services that are not commissioned by local authorities. This element of the fund will be administered by Homeless Link, who will ensure interventions are effective in supporting as many people as possible off the streets.

Councils across the country are set to benefit from a slice of nearly £2 million to crack down on illegal developments on the nation’s Green Belt, Housing Minister Esther McVey MP has announced today (12 September 2019).

Local authorities will be able to use the money to hire enforcement officers, use new technology, and help meet the legal costs of bringing rogue developers to task for their illegal developments.

Speaking at the annual RESI Convention in Newport today, the Housing Minister announced that 37 councils would be receiving a total of up to £50,000 each to help with the clampdown.

The Housing Minister Rt Hon Esther McVey MP said:

Once the Green Belt is built on it’s often gone for good that’s why we are determined to protect it. The public have told us loud and clear they want it kept for future generations to enjoy.

The funding announced today will help councils clamp down on rogue developers, giving the areas with the highest levels of Green Belt the funds needed to punish those who build illegally.

Reforms to the national planning rulebook last year maintained the strong protections on the Green Belt, which protect an area’s character and prevent urban sprawl. Only in exceptional circumstances can land in the Green Belt be built on.

Alongside the cash boost for councils, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government is teaming up with the Royal Town Planning Institute to overhaul the national enforcement handbook.

The updated handbook will provide the latest best practice and expertise on shutting down illegal building and preventing it from happening, whilst ensuring developers obtain full planning permission before a shovel hits the ground.

Councils will be receiving cash from the Planning Delivery Fund – a one off cash boost to assist with the costs of tackling unauthorised and illegal development in areas with significant areas of Green Belt land.

The councils who applied and were successful in receiving the funding are as follows:

• Cheshire West and Chester
• Sevenoaks
• South Staffordshire
• Epping Forest
• Central Bedfordshire
• Kirklees
• Bath and North East Somerset
• Guildford
• Wakefield
• Tandridge
• Doncaster
• South Cambridgeshire
• Barnsley
• South Gloucestershire
• Calderdale
• York
• Stratford-on-Avon
• Rugby
• Rotherham
• Mole Valley
• Bromsgrove
• Warwick
• East Hertfordshire
• Staffordshire Moorlands
• Chiltern
• North Warwickshire
• Tonbridge and Malling
• Rushcliffe
• Windsor and Maidenhead
• North Somerset
• Cheshire East
• Selby
• Bradford
• Leeds
• Shropshire
• Northumberland
• Dorset Council

This document sets out a framework for how an outbreak of rabies in animals in Great Britain would be managed.

The census rehearsal is taking place in four local authority areas across England and Wales. These are:

• Carlisle
• Ceredigion
• Hackney
• Tower Hamlets

The ONS is sending households in these areas a letter asking them to visit www.census.gov.uk and fill in an online questionnaire. The letters contain a unique access code they can use to access the questionnaire.

Census Rehearsal Day is 13 October 2019, but people can take part as soon as they receive the letter. It’s important that you take part if you’re invited. In doing so, you’ll help the ONS make sure Census 2021 runs smoothly and represents everyone.

Census field staff will be working in the four rehearsal areas. They’ll be visiting households that have not yet completed the questionnaire, offering help and encouragement to take part.

For more information on the census rehearsal, or to fill in the questionnaire once you’ve received your letter, please visit www.census.gov.uk.

Published 12 September 2019

• interactive roadshows launched to show young women the value of STEM studies and the full breadth of maritime careers
• £140,000 to safeguard the wellbeing of existing sailors, ensuring they are supported when returning from sea
• funding launched as part of London International Shipping Week, the leading global event in the maritime calendar

More young people will be supported to embark on a career at sea, thanks to a suite of new policies announced by Maritime Minister Nusrat Ghani today (12 September 2019).

Speaking at a careers fair aboard the Northern Lighthouse Vessel PHAROS, the minister officially opened a £100,000 programme to boost maritime careers through 10 roadshows around the UK, funded by government.

Through the new scheme, girls aged 11 to 14 will be paired with inspiring women from the sector to teach them about the full breadth of careers available before they make their GCSE choices. This aims to get more of them into STEM subjects as they make the next step.

The Maritime Minister has also announced funding to better understand and address the skills gaps and improve careers promotion in the maritime sector, setting out today:

• £40,000 for the ‘Maritime and Me’ campaign – a new industry-led project aiming to increase and retain female talent in the maritime sector
• £300,000 for a new Maritime Skills Commission to identify existing and future skills needs of the sector, informing the training curriculum and ensuring it evolves over time
• £250,000 for a new single industry body that will raise awareness of maritime careers in schools and better coordinate their promotion sector wide

This comes as the Prime Minister Boris Johnson pledges to bring shipbuilding back to the UK and strengthen the Royal Navy, set to create thousands of jobs in the British shipping industry over the next decade.

Maritime Minister Nusrat Ghani said:

I am immensely proud of the vibrant range of jobs offered by the maritime industry, and I know that the 186,000 people who work in the sector will agree that it is a truly fantastic place to build a career.

We need to ensure this fantastic industry is fuelled with the brightest talent from across the country, and that means tapping into the potential of our diverse society and increasing the number of women working in maritime.

In doing this we will boost British standing in maritime globally, allowing us to successfully lead the charge to a bright new future for the UK.

The ‘Maritime and Me’ project will use a public campaign to show girls of all ages the fantastic range of opportunities in maritime – from jobs at sea to engineers on the shore.

It will work with WISE, a community interest organisation, to create an online quiz where girls and young women can see which roles would suit their personalities, supported by case studies of women working across different sectors, including maritime.

Minister for Women, Victoria Atkins, said:

Girls usually outperform boys in STEM subjects at GCSE. Yet, compared with boys, almost half the number of girls feel a STEM subject is their strongest. This means industry is missing out on top talent.

Our women of the future need role models. This fantastic project, which pairs girls with inspiring women from the maritime industry, will show them how pursuing careers in these areas can lead them to great things.

Sarah Kenny, Vice Chair of Maritime UK said:

It’s been fantastic to see so many people hearing first-hand what a rewarding career maritime can offer during London International Shipping Week.

With the sector globally forecast to double in size, there really is a job for everyone – and with typical pay significantly above the national average, our people are well rewarded.

We warmly welcome government’s funding to support careers in maritime, and we’ll continue working across the country to attract tomorrow’s talent.

As part of this focus on the maritime workforce, the DfT is also investing £140,000 in high quality support for British and international seafarers across the UK, as well as working with charities to ensure workers receive pastoral care on their return from sea.

This all delivers on commitments set out by the Department for Transport in the Maritime 2050 Strategy, which outlines its ambition for the UK to become a world leader in the move to clean maritime, reducing the environmental impacts of shipping and supporting UK businesses to grow.