Helping End Homelessness, £10m grant scheme relaunches

THE National Lottery Community Fund in Wales is relaunching its £10m grant scheme to coincide with World Homeless Day on Saturday (10/10/2020) which draws attention to the plight of people suffering homelessness globally. The scheme will encourage organisations aiming to end homelessness in Wales to work together with the people they are trying to help, to tackle issues earlier, collectively and more effectively.

Homelessness has often been in the headlines with reports that during lockdown, places were found for many people to stay. Organisations and charities have said that they have been more successful in working with people experiencing homelessness to improve their situations but there remains much work to do.

The National Lottery Fund announced it is relaunching its grant scheme: Helping End Homelessness to applications. The scheme was paused for a review to check it remains relevant and useful. Katie Dalton, Director, Cymorth Cymru (umbrella organisation for Wales’ homeless charities) welcomed the relaunch saying:

“COVID-19 has highlighted the importance of a safe and secure home, as well as the positive impact that homelessness, housing and support services have on people’s lives. It is critical that we build on the extraordinary efforts during this pandemic to deliver the Homelessness Action Group’s recommendations and end homelessness in Wales.

“It’s fantastic to see the National Lottery Community Fund providing substantial funding and support to help make this a reality. I encourage all homelessness and housing-support organisations to grasp this opportunity and work in partnership to develop person-centred, trauma-informed projects that help to end homelessness in Wales.”

The £10m grant scheme called Helping End Homelessness is aimed at addressing the causes and impact of homelessness. The scheme will encourage charities and agencies to work with local authorities and with people experiencing homelessness, to address the causes of homelessness. The grants, which are made possible thanks to National Lottery players, will be aimed at trying to stop people ending up on sofas, in bed and breakfasts and even the streets by intervening in a positive way. To access the grants, organisations will need to work together and involve people who are already experiencing homelessness and those at risk, in planning strategies to avoid ending up in a perilous and stressful situation.

Rob Roffe, Head of Knowledge and Learning for The National Lottery Community Fund added:

“We feel this is an ideal time to engage with the Charities, Housing Associations and Local Authorities who all have an interest in ending homelessness. Responding to the pandemic has given everyone the opportunity to stand back and look at how to work most effectively, we hope that this grant scheme will give them an incentive to engage with the people they want to help and each other to design genuine, long term solutions to stop people having to live through the stressful experience of being made homeless.”