Extra funding to tackle rough sleeping in Eastbourne

Eastbourne Borough Council has secured extra funding to scale up local resources and deliver a comprehensive multi-year rough sleeping plan.

This investment allows the Council's award-winning homelessness team to expand essential frontline operations and strengthen support alongside regional partners. 

🎯 Key Priorities for the Funding

The new funding will be directed toward actionable, long-term interventions: 

• Supported accommodation: Increasing the total number of specialized units available for rough sleepers.
• Agency integration: Enhancing joint working practices across healthcare, social care, and mental health teams.
• Complex care: Targeting individuals with multiple and deeply rooted support needs.
• Cross-border collaboration: Cooperating closely with nearby local authorities across East Sussex. 

🤝 A Unified Regional Strategy

Rather than operating in isolation, Eastbourne Borough Council is co-developing its localized strategy: 

• Grassroots networks: Partnering directly with voluntary and faith organizations.
• Lived experience: Incorporating direct insights from individuals who have previously faced rough sleeping.
• National targets: Matching the strategic objectives set out in the government's National Rough Sleeping Plan. 

🚨 Wider Structural Pressures

While the targeted rough sleeping funds have been welcomed, local leaders continue to highlight ongoing systemic issues:

• Temporary accommodation crisis: Rising temporary housing costs previously triggered a formal housing emergency declaration from Eastbourne Borough Council. 
• Financial strain: Providing temporary accommodation has historically consumed up to 49p of every £1 of council tax collected within the borough. 
• The "Positive Giving" initiative: To complement structural housing efforts, Eastbourne has launched the Positive Giving Campaign, which encourages residents to donate directly to established support services rather than giving change on the street