Watford Borough Council has given a share of Government funding to help crisis-hit families avoid life on the streets.

The borough successfully applied for the Department for Communities and Local Government scheme, a Government initiative to see local authorities reform housing services.

SEE ALSO: What to do if you see a homeless person sleeping rough in the town

Around 15 people are sleeping rough in Watford – with many at risk of freezing to death.

The council has been given £300,000 for a new two-year early intervention programme to reduce rough sleeping in the town.

The funding will be used by a number of local agencies including New Hope, Herts Young Homeless, Citizens Advice Watford and CGL Spectrum.

New Hope will manage the project on the council’s behalf.

A dedicated team of specialists from each of the agencies involved will be created to focus on identifying and supporting individuals whose circumstances put them at greater risk of rough sleeping.

New Hope’s head of resources, Pete Belfield said: “We are all excited by this opportunity to provide an innovative specialist service for rough sleepers.

“The focus of this service will be to supplement the wonderful work that is already taking place at our Rough Sleeping Prevention Service by providing additional support around legal and financial advice, drug and alcohol misuse and mental ill health prevention.”

Work has already started and the programme expects to help prevent rough sleeping for a significant number of people over the two-year funding period, as well as reduce the number of entrenched rough sleepers in Watford.

A total of 122 bids were made to central Government, with only 28 applicants successful.

  • Got a story? Call the newsdesk on 01923 216 216 or send an email to editor@watfordobserver.co.uk.