Mark Welcomes Further Homelessness Funding for MK

Posted 26th March 2019

Mark Lancaster, MP for Milton Keynes North, has welcomed news the Government has provided Milton Keynes Council with an extra £360,000 to help end homelessness in the city. The new investment announced by Communities Minister James Brokenshire is aimed at getting rough sleepers into safe accommodation, including night shelters and hostel spaces.

This funding includes £34 million for the 83 Rough Sleeping Areas and an additional £12 million for other areas of the country as part of the government’s commitment to tackling the issue and ending homelessness. The investment, totalling £46 million, will go towards over 1,400 new emergency bed spaces, over 700 new long-term beds and more than 500 new temporary spaces.

Mark recently met with Housing Minister Heather Wheeler who praised the efforts of Milton Keynes in tackling homelessness in the city. As part of efforts to better support the city’s rough sleepers, a YMCA building project will provide supported accommodation for nearly 200 young and vulnerable people, as well as ensuring the incentives are there to encourage residents into independent living.

Mark commented:

“This is excellent news for Milton Keynes. I’m pleased the Government has recognised extra support was needed with the specific issues we’re facing in MK and this progress is very welcome.

“There is already a lot of work going on in the city to help end homelessness once and for all and this is another important step in the right direction.”