We will continue to focus on helping and supporting the most vulnerable off the streets
People find themselves homeless for a variety of reasons from family breakdown or unemployment to drug and alcohol addiction. Last year the Conservative-led Council's outstanding Outreach teams spoke to 1,550 people living on the streets. Even though less than 5% lived or had ever lived in Westminster, we were able to help over three quarters turn their lives around and into a settled life almost immediately.
You wanted us to focus on more support for rough sleepers and on tackling related anti-social behaviour
Last year Westminster Council invested over £6 million in outreach workers, hostel, rehabilitation and work skills to support rough sleepers off the street – more than the rest of London put together; we work with the major homelessness charities The Passage, Thames-reach and St Mungo’s.
Recently we opened a new rapid assessment centre and a hostel for homeless women, often victims of domestic abuse.
With a rise in drug related street begging, as drug prices have fallen so low, our newly launched Integrated Streets Engagement Unit brings together Council, voluntary and police teams to help those on the street turn their lives around and change their on-street behaviour, clamping down on the anti-social. Together we shall make the case to the Mayor to help fund this vital work.
We work to reconnect rough sleepers with their family, friends and community as we know it gives them the best chance.
We have 500 bed spaces specifically for rough sleepers. It is not illegal to sleep rough and for the entrenched, it can take weeks or months to persuade them to come in; we do not give in, we work to build trust with people who have little trust left.
Cllr Rachael Robathan, Westminster’s Conservative Cabinet member for Housing explains“We are absolutely committed to doing everything we can to help people find a sustained pathway away from the streets. Working with charities who are experts in this field we are constantly seeking to find new ways to make our services more effective in helping people who find themselves sleeping rough.”
Pledge: We will continue to help those sleeping on the streets to turn their lives around. We will also ensure our Integrated Streets Engagement Unit supports those on the streets in the daytime.