Ahead of the Rough Sleeping Summit at Downing Street, the Prime Minister and The Chancellor and MP for Cities of London and Westminster Rachel Blake visited The Connection at St Martin’s and St Martin in-the-Fields Charity, meeting people with experience of homelessness and hearing from frontline staff about the challenges facing those sleeping rough in London and across the UK.
The visit comes as The Connection begins delivering its Winter intensive engagement hub, funded as part of the government’s commitment to end rough sleeping. The intensive engagement hub provides emergency accommodation at its Day Centre in Adelaide Street to some of Westminster’s most entrenched rough sleepers with highly complex needs. The hub runs from October until the end of January and during this time, keyworkers from The Connection will work with rough sleepers to engage with support services. The Intensive Engagement Hub has previously seen a positive move-on rate of 74%.
The visit also coincided with St Martin in-the-Fields launch of the annual homelessness frontline network survey.
During the visit, the Prime Minister met people staying at The Connection and heard first-hand about their experiences of homelessness. He also spoke with frontline staff about conditions on the streets, the pressures facing services, and what is needed to help people leave and stay away from rough sleeping for good.
Pam Orchard, Chief Executive of The Connection at St Martin’s, said:
“We welcome the commitment that everyone sleeping rough will be offered accommodation this Christmas. Our experience during severe weather emergencies and the pandemic showed that providing a safe place to stay can be an important first step in reaching people who may have been sleeping rough for many years.
“Many people sleeping rough have experienced significant trauma and need time, trust and the right support to rebuild their lives. Lasting change depends on stable housing, strong support services and skilled frontline workers who can help people move forward at their own pace.”
Duncan Shrubsole, Chief Executive of St Martin’s Charity, said:
“It was a pleasure to welcome the Prime Minister to hear first-hand the challenges homelessness workers face and what they need to overcome them.
The visit gave us the opportunity to share the insights from our work supporting and championing frontline workers. Frontline workers have the vital experience and expertise to support people out of and away from rough sleeping and homelessness this Christmas and long term. They see the system first hand every day and they know what works but also what is getting in the way. Too often they are facing real challenges in securing the accommodation, services and support those they are working with need. It was great to hear the Prime Minister’s commitment to not just helping people come inside this Christmas but tackling the longer-term issues and barriers to help people move on from rough sleeping, and those supporting them, for good.
It was refreshing to have the Prime Minister acknowledge that it is frontline workers who have the answers and reiterate his commitment to doubling funding this winter.”
