Jobcentres across the UK are to benefit from a boost of up to £3 million to support homeless people and rough sleepers with a variety of projects, designed to get them back on their feet and to find work.

The new funding will see jobcentre staff joining outreach teams on the streets to speak to people sleeping rough, helping them to claim their benefits, find new work, secure stable accommodation and direct them to additional support.

Staff will be able to spend more time working with charities and other organisations to help people who are homeless, including those rough sleeping.

Funding will also be used to bolster projects jobcentres are already working on with various organisations, such as the Salvation Army in Cardiff, Crisis in Edinburgh and Teardrops in St Helens, to support homeless claimants.

Jobcentre staff could also be stationed in charity run day centres to advise those who use those services, but have not yet visited a jobcentre.

The work will build on the support already available from jobcentres for homeless people which includes:

• helping verify their ID to set up claims for benefits;
• assisting with opening bank accounts;
• pausing requirements to look for work while they find stable housing;
• making regular payments to help pay for housing; and
• signposting to drug, alcohol and other support services.

The new funding will be delivered in 2020 to 2021, it follows the dedicated training given to hundreds of jobcentre managers last year on how best to support homeless claimants.

By Patrick Mooney, Editor