The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) will provide a £3 million grants fund to enable community and faith groups to develop accommodation options that are self-contained, Covid-secure and dignified, to be ready for people sleeping rough by winter 2021/22.
The fund aims to change the way projects are run to help transform people’s lives by offering a route off the streets and, ultimately, to reduce rough sleeping.
The Homelessness Winter Transformation Fund will include £1 million of capital and £2 million of revenue, and will be managed by Homeless Link in partnership with Housing Justice.
This year’s fund builds upon our combined work of the past two years (£1.1million in 2019/20 and £2.4million in 2020/21). It will help enable small-to-medium homelessness charities, community and faith groups and voluntary sector organisations to transform their winter services for people sleeping rough in response to the requirements of these individuals and the need to move away from communal sleeping arrangements as a result of Covid-19.
This funding is on top of funding provided to local authorities to bring forward winter provision, including the £10 million Cold Weather Fund and £112 million Rough Sleeping Initiative.
Homeless Link and Housing Justice will engage with potential applicants early in the process to help inform and provide a sound understanding of the fund prior to bid submission. Successful grantees will receive support for project delivery.
Key dates
- 15 April 2021: Housing Justice webinar to set out key information about the fund
- 21 April 2021: Homeless Link webinar to set out key information about the fund
- 4 May 2021: The grant applications window for funding will open
- By end July 2021: Decisions due on capital funding
- By early September 2021: Decisions due on revenue funding
The initial questionnaire required as part of the Capital steam is now open. This is a questionnaire to direct you whether you are eligible to apply to the Capital stream as part of the Homelessness Winter Transformation Fund 2021.
Please note, answering No to a question will not exclude you from the process, but it may mean that a conversation is required with you before progressing.
If you have any further questions please email fund@homelesslink.org.uk, and the webinar recording below provides an overview of the Homelessness Winter Transformation Fund, outlining eligibility criteria, key objectives and aims, as well notable dates.
