New bedsits and support team announced to help tackle homelessness

The authority’s new support team will provide “long-term, intensive support” to help those in the borough with complex needs who are sleeping rough, facing a housing crisis or have a history of housing instability.

The project will shortly open a new homeless residential base, providing accommodation and support to those in need.

Made up of bedsits, the new accommodation will allow people to work with the support team towards living independently again.

The project comes following the government’s everyone in mandate during the pandemic, which saw a number of homeless people in Barnsley go on to live in their own homes again and manage their lives independently.

Councillor Caroline Makinson, BMBC’s cabinet spokesperson for public health and communities said: “With new accommodation options to help people in crisis and strong partnership links, I hope people will be able to turn their lives around with support from the team and our partners.

“No single organisation can solve homelessness – so I want to thank our partners and the public for helping us to support people at the earliest possible opportunity.”

Michelle Kaye, group leader for housing and welfare at Barnsley Council added: “This will be a fantastic resource for the borough, for partners, and mostly for rough sleepers.

“We want [them] to live here in lovely surroundings to help them address their wider needs, prevent that revolving door of homelessness and move on in a positive way with their life.”

A report in June found that the amount of cash Barnsley Council has had to spend to house homeless residents in B&Bs and hotels has shot up more than 200 per cent since the 2019/20 financial year.

Less than one percent of Barnsley’s council properties are unoccupied, as more than 9,500 people are on the council’s waiting list for a home, it was revealed in March.

If you see anyone sleeping rough, you can report their location on the StreetLink website or app, which will alert the council’s housing team who can offer support.