00:00So I am saying, putting the call out to community and voluntary organisations, we're at one here in Newcastle today,
00:08doing fantastic work, but we're saying to the wider community, voluntary and faith sector, come on, let's get behind this,
00:15let's show what Britain can do when we all pull in the same direction.
00:19A government drive to help people sleeping rough move off the streets this winter has been launched, with ministers announcing
00:25£442 million of funding.
00:28Last week, Prime Minister Andy Burnham visited Changing Lives' supported accommodation service in Alex's place in Newcastle.
00:35He was joined by Housing Secretary Angela Rayner and North East Mayor Kim McGuinness.
00:40During the visit, they met residents over tea and coffee and heard about the experiences of homelessness, as well as
00:47the support which has helped people in the region move forward.
00:50They were also shown around the service and met staff from Changing Lives to discuss the challenges faced by people
00:55experiencing homelessness.
00:57Nobody should sleep rough on the streets of Britain. We found this new money from within the department and this
01:03is now a call.
01:04The government money may not fully get us there. And I'm saying to wider society, faith organisations, let's see if
01:12we can do this together. Let's see if Britain can do this.
01:15The government says its new everyone in for Christmas programme will offer everyone sleeping rough who needs it a route
01:22off the streets this winter.
01:24The £442 million funding package is intended to support immediate accommodation, alongside longer term housing, health and other support.
01:33The plans also include funding for more than 1,000 settled homes over the next three years.
01:38A national summit on ending rough sleeping is due to take place this autumn.
01:43The announcement comes against a backdrop of rising rough sleeping in the North East.
01:48The latest government figures estimate that 162 people were sleeping rough on a single night in the North East in
01:55autumn 2025.
01:57That compares with 124 the previous year.
02:01The figures represent a 31% increase, described in the information supplied as the largest rise among English regions.
02:09The North East still has the lowest number of rough sleepers in any English region.
02:14But the recent increase has raised concerns, particularly in Newcastle.
02:19In the city, the estimated number of people sleeping rough on a single night rose from 21 in autumn 2024
02:25to 46 in autumn 2025.
02:29That's an increase of 119%.
02:33Changing Lives has welcomed the government's renewed focus on rough sleeping.
02:37The organisation says providing accommodation is an important first step,
02:42but that people also need access to longer term housing and support with health and other challenges.
02:47Its chief executive, Stephen Bell, says the organisation wants to work with government, local authorities and partners
02:54to help turn the commitment to ending homelessness into a reality.
