UP to 225 rough sleepers in the West Midlands could be helped into permanent homes thanks to a £9.6 million cash grant.

The Government money will be used to pilot the Housing First initiative under which rough sleepers move straight into a supported property, bypassing hostels and bed and breakfasts.

It means they are more settled and more able to secure medical services and benefits, get training or a job, and better respond to treatment for addictions or mental health problems.

Jean Templeton, who chairs the West Midlands Mayor’s homelessness taskforce, said the funding could start to make a difference on the ground this summer.

She said: “A huge amount of work has gone into preparing the bid to Government for this pilot and we are really pleased with the outcome.

Homeless people get a warm meal at SIFA Fireside in Digbeth

“Now the funding is confirmed, we can really push on.

"We’ve done a lot of the groundwork in terms of sourcing accommodation and developing the systems.

"Now, we are aiming to start moving individuals into Housing First tenancies within the next three to six months.”

In Europe, Housing First projects have been successful at ending homelessness for at least eight out of ten people in the scheme.

This is compared to hostel-based accommodation which has resulted in between 40 per cent and 60 per cent of users with complex needs leaving, or ejected, before their homelessness is resolved.

Cabinet minister James Brokenshire visited the Sifa Fireside charity for the homeless in Digbeth to formally announce the grant. It was his first ministerial visit since being appointed Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government last week.

Housing secretary James Brokenshire visits Sifa Fireside charity in Digbeth with West Midlands Mayor Andy Street

West Midlands Mayor Andy Street, who will be responsible for the Housing First Project along with members of his Homelessness Task Force, visited Finland last year to see the policy in action there.

He said: “Having seen Housing First in action, I can vouch for the positive impact it has on supporting rough sleepers. Now the funding has been confirmed we will work with charities and local authorities on getting the pilot up and running.

“The latest figures suggest a modest decrease in the last 12 months in the West Midlands - I hope funding for projects like Housing First will help us continue and accelerate this progress.”

Mr Street also appeared alongside Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham, who has also received Housing First funding, on BBC Radio 5 live to talk about the project

Mr Burnham said it is one of the first examples of devolution - Government handing power and money to the regions - to sort out a key issue.

He added: “My feeling is that having been in Westminster for 16 years, Westminster has created this problem, basically because of its failures on housing and a whole host of other issues. It now needs to listen to what people here are saying and allow us to develop very, very different approaches, through much deeper devolution to Greater Manchester and the West Midlands and other places.”

Homeless man in Erdington High Street

Mr Street said eviction from private rented properties is the greatest cause of homelessness in the West Midlands.

“One of the things we are really working hard on is absolutely having eviction as a very, very very last resort.”

Rough sleeper numbers in the West Midlands

Council area 2010 2016 2017
Birmingham 9 55 57
Coventry 5 13 8
Dudley 3 3 11
Sandwell 2 11 10
Solihull 3 6 2
Walsall 8 26 10
Wolverhampton 9 18 19

Birmingham council leader Ian Ward said: “Birmingham has long recognised the value of the Housing First model which provides a housing solution for the most vulnerable people facing homelessness in our city.

“We are pleased to be leading the development of the bid alongside our partners as part of the West Midlands Combined Authroity .

"Delivering a Housing First pilot will be a key element in implementing both the Birmingham City Council Homelessness Prevention Strategy and the Regional Homelessness Taskforce work.”