Westminster City Council has launched a new strategy aiming to prevent homelessness.
The Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy commits to prioritizing early prevention and offering personalized support for the London borough with the most rough sleeping.
The five-year plan is co-produced with people who have experienced homelessness and have used the services on offer in Westminster.
Leader of Westminster City Council Adam Hug said: “Homelessness and rough sleeping is a critical issue for the council.
“We recognize the need for collaboration both with people with lived experiences and partners across London to put an end to homelessness.”
Westminster has the highest number of rough sleepers out of any borough, with over 2000 people seen rough sleeping last year.
This makes up 18% of London’s rough sleeping population.
The launch also comes amidst a nationwide housing crisis that affects many Westminster households.
As there is little land to develop new housing, Westminster’s delivery target of 985 new homes each year is less than 2% of the London-wide target.
According to Westminster Homelessness Review, more than 3,600 households were living in temporary accommodation between 2022 and 2023.
Cllr Liza Begum, Cabinet Member for Housing Services, said: “Part of our commitment to creating fairer housing in Westminster is to address the root causes of homelessness.
“Homelessness and rough sleeping are huge issues for some of our residents and we’re aware that the situation requires meaningful change to address issues that lead to homelessness.”
For the next five years, the council will commit to making support more accessible to people at risk of losing their homes.
They will utilize public services such as youth centres and GP surgeries to spot those at risk of homelessness and provide them with help quickly.
In the past, Westminster City Council has funded projects like Housing First which provides support for women who have experienced homelessness, drug dependency, and domestic abuse.
In 2024, the council partnered with social housing providers to launch the Westminster Housing Compact, making it easier for people to access key services in the borough.
Featured image: Unsplash
Join the discussion