Homeless charity and council providing emergency accommodation to Harrogate's rough sleepers during pandemic

Harrogate Homeless Project is working with the borough council to move rough sleepers from the streets into hotels or bed and breakfasts - and if needed, somewhere to self-isolate.

It comes after several homelessness charities called on the government for more financial support in response to the outbreak - after expressing worries that shelters could become overwhelmed from the spread of the Covid-19 virus.

Liz Hancock, chief executive at Harrogate Homeless Project, said the number of people sleeping rough in the district has not dramatically increased - but added some people were being forced onto the streets because family members were displaying coronavirus symptoms.

She said: "We work closely with Harrogate Borough Council to identify and monitor rough sleepers in the district - and when the Covid-19 crisis struck we were able to use that information to target people and inform them of what is on offer."

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The charity is now calling on hotels and owners of other forms of accommodation to offer their help.

Liz added: "There has been a lack of bed and breakfasts and hotels in Harrogate offering their support which is proving very challenging. We are appealing to anyone who can help to get in touch on 01423 566900.

"But what we don't want is people offering out their spare rooms - it just wouldn't work with the obvious health risks involved."

In an unprecedented move, the government asked all local authorities to house all people sleeping rough, and those in hostels and night shelters, before the weekend.

The government said in a letter to councils: “As you know, this is a public health emergency. We are all redoubling our efforts to do what we possibly can at this stage to ensure that everybody is inside and safe by this weekend, and we stand with you in this.

“These are unusual times so I’m asking for an unusual effort. Many areas of the country have already been able to ’safe harbour’ their people which is incredible. What we need to do now though is work out how we can get ‘everyone in'."

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National homelessness charity Crisis welcomed the commitment, but said more needed to be done to help grass-root charities achieve this.

Charity chief executive, Jon Sparkes, said: “The government’s insistence that everyone sleeping rough should be housed by the weekend is a landmark moment – and the right thing to do.

“Questions remain about how local councils will be supported to do this, and whether additional funding, or assistance securing hotel rooms, will be made available. We also need to see a package of support so that, when the outbreak subsides, the outcome is not that people return to the streets.

“The government has committed to ending rough sleeping by 2025 – this proves it can be done in 2020 if we make it the priority it deserves to be.”

Crisis said people sleeping rough are particularly vulnerable to the coronavirus because they are three times more likely to have a chronic health condition, including asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

It has also launched a fundraising drive to keep its services running - and help grass-root homelessness charities who are struggling in these unprecedented circumstances.

Mr Sparkes said: "Now more than ever we value donations to keep our frontline services running, and to support smaller, local homelessness charities with their emergency response in these unprecedented circumstances.

"We know that with the public’s support we can protect people facing homelessness from the worst effects of this outbreak.”

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