MP Bridget Phillipson backs Prime Minister's pledge to eradicate city homelessness by Christmas
“Let’s get people out the cold, and let’s bring back hope”
Sunderland MP and chair of the Labour Party, Bridget Phillipson, has said she is concerned by the number of homeless people in the city and wants to ensure everyone “has a roof over their head”, backing the Prime Minister’s pledge to get all the city’s homeless people off the streets by Christmas.
The Prime Minister has this week announced £442 million of funding over 3 years, including almost £6.8 million for the North East, to support homeless people in their quest to get off the street.
Speaking to Echo, Mrs Phillipson said: “I’m concerned about the number of homeless people in our city, not just rough sleepers on our streets, but those who are less visible and may be sofa surfing, many of whom are women, who are often fleeing domestic violence.
“Tackling homelessness is a really big priority for the Government and the new Prime Minister, which is why we are investing this money into tackling the issue so that everyone gets that roof over their head that they deserve.
“A key part of this is investing in affordable and social housing, and that is happening here in Sunderland. It’s important to remember that becoming homeless is something that can happen to anyone.”
Mrs Phillipson was speaking to the Echo during a visit to six emergency accommodation flats in Houghton-Le-Spring which are run by the homeless charity, Oasis Community Housing.
The charity’s head of homelessness prevention, Alex Laing, has welcomed the pledge of additional funding and beds, but stressed that eradicating homelessness is “much more than providing additional beds”.
She added: “Getting everyone off the streets by Christmas would be wonderful, but we just need to ensure that support is there to maintain it and not with people ending up going back on the streets again.
“Providing a roof is just the start. It’s then about providing that support to tackle any health or addiction problems, getting training and education to get back into work, learning to budget, and getting access to get on the social housing ladder.
“We also help our residents learn basic life skills such as cooking, and whilst here they have access to use of computers and the internet - the basic everyday things you need to function.”
It’s a sentiment shared by Mrs Phillipson who added: “The work which takes place is here is absolutely fantastic and is more than just a roof over someone’s head. It’s all that additional support around health problems, addiction, and the underlying causes of homelessness.
“Organisations like Oasis Community Housing are doing such invaluable work to support people in our community who are rough sleeping.
“I’m so proud to be part of a Labour government that is supporting them; making sure that everyone sleeping rough in Sunderland has a route off the streets by Christmas.”
The Labour Party say the plans will not only change the lives of those being given somewhere to sleep and a foundation to rebuild their lives but have huge benefits for the whole country, as research from Crisis suggests preventing 40,000 people from becoming homeless for a year could save taxpayers around £370 million.
Making the pledge, Prime Minister Andy Burnham said: “No-one should have to bed down in a doorway or outside a station. But we’ve seen it for so long that it feels like Westminster has started to accept it.
"I won’t accept it. That’s why my first instruction as Prime Minister was to end rough sleeping. And it’s why we’re getting started with a national drive to get everyone in for Christmas.
"We did it in the pandemic. We can do it again. But it needs all of us. Government will put the money in. But I’m asking leaders in communities and sectors across society to play their part locally too. Let’s get people out the cold, and let’s bring back hope."