Andy Burnham's homeless scheme to expand as rough sleeping rises in Greater Manchester
Andy Burnham's 'A Bed Every Night' homeless scheme will expand after rough sleeping in Greater Manchester increased.
Official government statistics released on Thursday (February 27) show there were 154 rough sleepers in the city-region in autumn 2024, compared to 149 a year previously. While increasing, the level of rough sleeping is still far below Greater Manchester's worst level.
In 2017, a record 268 people were sleeping on the city's streets, meaning the latest data is still 42 percent lower. The mayor has now confirmed his flagship A Bed Every Night project, which provides single-room accommodation to homeless people, will expand.
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It is going from 550 rooms to 600 per night because 'our aim is to make an offer' of accommodation for 'everybody', according to Mr Burnham, but 'that's becoming more challenging' with the rise in rough sleeping.
He added: 'Our own research in Greater Manchester shows that we're spending at least £75 million every year on renting temporary accommodation across the city-region, and we only get 42 percent of that back via housing benefit.'
Housing chiefs believe the cost-of-living is one reason why the problem is worsening, but another is 'evictions from the asylum system'. Refugees leaving the immigration system largely made up the population of the St Peter's Square tent encampment, which was removed by Manchester City Council this week.
Wednesday's operation (February 26) saw camp residents, mainly refugees, handed plastic bags for their belongings as bailiffs 'knocked on' tents and instructed those living in the camp to leave. Some of the tents were thrown into a bin lorry, but the council insists they were already abandoned.
Rather than removing the camp, the council's possession order appeared to just move the problem from one side of the town hall to another, as tents were pitched on Albert Square and outside the Midland Hotel later that same day.
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