Newark and Sherwood District Council to receive over £380k from Government to tackle homelessness

Nearly £400,000 will be given to a council to support projects tackling homelessness and rough sleeping.

Newark and Sherwood District Council will again receive £380,000 in funding from the Government’s Homelessness Prevention Grant, as it did for the 2024-25 period.

Documents say these funds will support the council’s Homelessness Prevention and Rough Sleeper Strategy, a five-year strategy dedicated to intervention, prevention, and long-term solutions for people facing homelessness or rough sleeping.

The council will share an update on the strategy’s first-year progress at its Policy and Performance Improvement Committee meeting today (Monday, June 30).

Newark’s homelessness strategy officer, who acts as the Rough Sleeper Initiative programme manager across all Nottinghamshire districts, has helped to coordinate the response to rough sleeping.

The council has also developed a Prison Release Protocol to stop people from being released onto the streets after serving time in prison, and led a women’s homelessness census, in partnership with charity Solace Women’s Aid, to shed light on the experiences of rough sleeping among women.

Nine rough sleeper deaths in Newark have been reviewed in the past year to help agencies better understand risk and ensure support is in place.

The council said it may also receive “additional grants” this year, depending on new Government initiatives.

This comes after the Government announced a three-year spending review in June, which aims to provide an additional £100 million for early interventions to prevent homelessness.

The funds will helps deliver everything from housing advice and emergency accommodation to long-term support for vulnerable people.

Nikki Burley, chief executive of Newark Emmaus Trust, a charity which supports and houses local and vulnerable young homeless in Newark, said there is “more demand than ever” for their services in the district.

She told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “Our service is always at full capacity, and the demand is higher than ever.

“We’ve been supporting the community as a charity for over 30 years.”

“The most common situation we see is sofa surfing — young people who have been forced to leave their parents’ homes.

“Sometimes it’s due to lack of space, family breakdowns, or in more serious cases, mental or physical abuse. In some instances, pregnancy is also a factor.

“We support 16 to 25-year-olds and their babies, and offer 24-hour support, 365 days a year—providing not just a roof over their heads, but a safe, temporary home until they’re ready to move on and live independently.”

The investment will be reviewed in Monday’s meeting.