Concerns over possible rough sleeping funding cuts

Homelessness charities have met MPs ahead of the Budget as concerns grow over possible government funding cuts.

Homeless Oxfordshire, Connection Support and Aspire Oxfordshire discussed the future of the Rough Sleeping Initiative (RSI) funding - due to end in March - with Labour's Anneliese Dodds and Sean Woodcock.

The charities said they were at a "funding cliff-edge" and that cuts to services would see an increase in the number of preventable deaths among homeless people.

The government said it would not speculate on spending decisions ahead of the Budget on Wednesday next week.

Simon Hewett-Avison, CEO of Homeless Oxfordshire, said: "In Oxfordshire the Rough Sleeping Initiative provides £1.3m into the overall services budget. In Oxford city alone it's just under £1m.

"Nearly a third of our service budget across the county would be wiped off if the funding did come to an end in 2025."

The three charities are calling for a one-year rollover of existing homelessness funding into 2025/26, and a systematic review of all homelessness-related spending across government for 2026/27 onwards.

Chris Keating, CEO of Connection Support, said he expected to see a "dramatic rise" in rough sleeping, demand on emergency services and need for drug and alcohol support services.

CEO of Aspire Oxfordshire Nicci Marzec said the funding for the charities was already insufficient.

"We all heavily supplement the cost of services through our reserves and fundraised income," she said.

Liberal Democrat MP for Bicester and Woodstock, Calum Miller, said: "We'd really like to see a much more stable multi-year allocation of funding to local government so they can plan properly".

A spokesperson for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government said: "We do not comment on speculation around spending decisions outside of fiscal events.

"The government will set up a dedicated inter-ministerial group which the Deputy Prime Minister will chair, bringing together ministers from across government to develop a long-term strategy to put us back on track to ending homelessness."

The Budget will be Labour's first for 14 years and Chancellor Rachel Reeves has warned it will involve "difficult decisions".

Government sources have told the BBC the Budget will include tax rises and spending cuts to the value of £40bn.

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