Waltham Forest has rehomed more than half the rough sleepers it placed in hotels after the abrupt end of the Government’s “Everyone In” scheme.

It is the first London borough to have found longer-term accommodation for everyone in one of the hotels it used, moving all 35 people out of the Cranbrook Hotel in Ilford.

The council housed 59 rough sleepers as part of the Government scheme, although Wood Street’s Project Parker showed many people were missed by the outreach teams.

The Manchester Evening News revealed ministers “quietly pulled the plug” last month on funding to provide emergency housing for the homeless during lockdown.

Cllr Louise Mitchell, responsible for housing and homelessness prevention, said: “The Council has provided 59 rough sleepers from the borough with accommodation during the COVID-19 crisis.

“We have been able to move all these individuals out of hotels and into longer-term accommodation, either in the private rental sector or with voluntary and charity sector partners.

“Each individual is receiving an intensive package of bespoke support, delivered in partnership with St Mungo’s, Change Grow Live charity, and the NHS North East London Foundation Trust, to help them make the most of the life chances and prevent them returning to the streets.”

It is understood all the borough’s rough sleepers had left the Cranbrook Hotel by June 20.

As of last week, 24 rough sleepers staying in the homeless “safe village” Project Parker were still waiting to be housed.

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