As part of Hampshire County Council’s (HCC) proposals for future services, vital funding for homelessness services was under threat. HCC proposed to cease all funding for homelessness services (provided via the social inclusion programme) from 31 March 2025.
Last year, Two Saints met with Hampshire MPs to share their concerns over HCC’s plans to terminate the funding. Two Saints are leading providers of homelessness support services in Hampshire, with 172 bedspaces for those in need. If HCC terminated funding, Two Saints would no longer be able to provide their crucial services for supporting those in need.
Understanding what was at stake, Suella campaigned alongside Two Saints, urging HCC to reconsider their proposals. In May 2024, Suella wrote a joint letter with Donna Jones, Police & Crime Commissioner for Hampshire & Isle of Wight, to HCC, urging them to maintain the funding.
Writing to HCC’s Executive Lead Member for Adult Social Care and Public Health, Suella said:
“I have great admiration for the brilliant work undertaken by Two Saints. On my most recent visit, I had the opportunity to see how their services provide a lifeline to the people they support. Their 19-bed facility serves around 40 people each month. It provides a vital space for care, shelter and, most importantly, a place to help homeless people get back on their feet and rebuild their lives.
“If Two Saints’ Fareham services shut down, which it will if Hampshire County Council terminates funding, where will these people go? What will happen to them? Rough sleeping in Hampshire is rising faster than the national average, and Fareham Borough Council has already written to the Chancellor, warning that the surge in demand for temporary accommodation is crippling them financially.
“We understand there is a scrutiny committee meeting on 18 June 2024 to review the recommendations and a cabinet meeting on 9 July 2024 to make the final decisions. We request a meeting with you to make our objections clear before the initial meeting on 18 June 2024.”
On 14 October 2024, HCC confirmed it will not proceed with proposals to terminate homelessness funding and will instead continue to fund these services into 2026.
Confirming this news, Leader of Hampshire County Council, Councillor Nick Adams-King said:
“In some areas however, we have had to make the difficult and unavoidable decision to go ahead with the recommended changes and reductions to help towards balancing our budgets in future, but in others, such as homelessness support, which is not a legal responsibility of the County Council, I am pleased that we will be able to honour the current contracts that are in place and protect funding to March 2026.”
Welcoming this news, Two Saints Executive Director Paula-May Houghton Clarke said to Suella:
“Your support has highlighted our shared commitment to addressing homelessness and will help secure the futures of some of our community’s most vulnerable individuals.
“We are looking forward to the future, and to continuing to work together towards a brighter future for those experiencing homelessness in our community.”
Suella is delighted with this decision from HCC and looks forward to continuing to work with Two Saints and championing support for homeless individuals in Fareham and Waterlooville.
To read HCC’s full statement, please visit the link below.
https://www.hants.gov.uk/News/20241410FutureServicesfinaldecisions
