Burnham vows specific support to help homeless veterans off the streets

No one who served in the British armed forces should have to sleep on the streets this Christmas, the Prime Minister has vowed. Andy Burnham will personally write to councils across England on Armistice Day (November 11) urging them to draw up specific plans to offer accommodation to military veterans sleeping rough ahead of the Christmas period. National and local government should work together on the principle that those who served in the military should not be left to sleep on the streets, his letter will say.

The pledge, announced ahead of Remembrance Sunday, is part of the Prime Minister’s wider plan to offer everyone currently sleeping rough a bed this winter. People who stepped forward prepared to put their lives on the line for the rest of us should never lack a roof over their head. When they need help, the country owes them more than warm words. It owes them a bed every night, a proper plan and someone in their corner from day one Andy Burnham Mr Burnham said: “No one who has served our country should be left to sleep rough on our streets.

“It is a simple principle and, from now on, I am setting it as an operating principle for the whole of government, national and local. “People who stepped forward prepared to put their lives on the line for the rest of us should never lack a roof over their head. “When they need help, the country owes them more than warm words. It owes them a bed every night, a proper plan and someone in their corner from day one.” The Prime Minister added: “Many councils are already doing a great job working with charities supporting the ex-forces community.

“With this new funding, they can take that to the next level and end the need for any veteran to sleep rough on any night. “This is what I meant when I spoke about putting the right standards back at the heart of the country when I walked up Downing Street for the first time.” Mr Burnham promised to offer everyone sleeping rough a route off the streets by the end of this year in one of his first moves as Prime Minister. He has announced an additional £874m of funding to help tackle rough sleeping since coming to office.

Part of this funding should now be used by councils to draw up plans to tackle homelessness among veterans, Mr Burnham’s letter to local authorities will say. Eight organisations across the United Kingdom, including in Scotland, Liverpool, and Kent will be granted a share of £8.7m to help supplement this work, through a “Reducing Veteran Homelessness” programme. This will be aimed at housing providers who are helping homeless veterans with complex health needs, problems with addiction, and with employment support.

Mr Burnham has also urged veterans who are sleeping rough, and those supporting them, to call a UK-wide helpline on 0800 9520774, which will connect them with housing and other specialist support. The helpline has already supported more than 1,250 veterans into housing to date. The organisations being given a share of the £8.7m funding include: – Veteran Housing Scotland – Launchpad – Alabare – The Riverside Group – Wigan Council – The Royal British Veterans Enterprise (RBVE) – SSAFA, The Armed Forces Charity – Tom Harrison House