Redbridge Council has been awarded almost £4 million by the Government to help the homeless, more than eight times the amount given to neighbouring Waltham Forest Council.

The bulk of the funding, almost £2.5 million, will be used to build 26 studio flats for the homeless, 18 at the Ryedale hostel in Ilford and a further eight at a site yet to be decided.

The council will use the remaining money supporting people in the short-term between now and March next year.

Waltham Forest Council was awarded £455,387 of short-term funding and no long-term funding. The council was asked to comment on this decision and declined to do so.

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Redbridge council leader Cllr Jas Athwal said the extra funding was “certainly welcome news” and will “provide stability for some of our most vulnerable residents”.

He added: “People who sleep rough face huge inequalities in every area of their lives so we urgently need to put an end to rough sleeping in Redbridge.

“However, the reasons that people end up living on the streets are often complex and longer term solutions mean tackling root causes.

“If we are to be successful in the longer term, it is absolutely vital that the Government shares our ambition to deal with the causes, not just the symptoms, and that will mean continuing access to support and funding from the Government.”

Read more: Redbridge Council still has no cabinet member in charge of housing

Waltham Forest’s cabinet member for housing and homelessness prevention, Cllr Louise Mitchell, outlined the ways the council will use its smaller share of the funding.

She said: “We are providing financial assistance, including paying deposits and rent-in-advance, to secure private rented accommodation for rough sleepers who are ready to live independently.

“This includes increasing our staff resources to support rough sleepers in their transition into private rented accommodation and living independently.

“We will be providing additional bed spaces over the winter period, from December 2020 until February 2021, on nights when the temperature falls below zero.

“This is to protect the health and safety for those rough sleepers willing to accept help from the council, during periods of severe weather.

“We are also using the support to accommodate rough sleepers with no recourse to public funds whilst they apply to regularise their immigration status in the UK.”

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