£1.4m funding 'essential for council's mission to prevent rough sleeping'

Money will be used to expand services

- Phil Corrigan

COUNCIL leaders have agreed to spend £1.4 million on tackling the growing problem of rough sleeping in Stoke-on-Trent.

The city's rough sleeper outreach team was helping 81 individuals in the autumn-a 16 per cent increase on 2024 - while the number of homelessness inquiries in Stoke-on-Trent has hit a seven-year high.

Stoke-on-Trent City Council received a £974,225 Rough Sleeping Prevention and Recovery Grant from the government for 2025/26, with £438,453 left in reserves from previous allocations. Cabinet members have now authorised officers to use this money to continue or expand services aimed at helping rough sleepers off the street and into accommodation.