Over the next three years, the West Midlands will benefit from millions of pounds in funding dedicated to tackling homelessness and rough sleeping. This investment aims to build on the progress made in recent years and address ongoing challenges in the region.
The West Midlands Combined Authority’s (WMCA) Overview and Scrutiny Committee is set to review the work of the WMCA Homelessness Taskforce next week. A recent report highlights that the region will receive over £18.2 million from the Supported Housing Programme between 2026 and 2029. The majority of this funding will be allocated to Birmingham and Coventry, areas with particularly high demand for support.
This funding initiative focuses on expanding supported accommodation and commissioning housing-related support services to prevent homelessness and reduce rough sleeping. Additionally, the three-year Homelessness, Rough Sleeping and Domestic Abuse Grant will allocate £545,845 in 2026/27, £555,713 in 2027/28, and £1,335,461 in 2028/29 within the WMCA area. This is supplementary to individual council grants.
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From 2020 to 2025, the WMCA Rough Sleeping Initiative (RSI) utilized £2.7 million to implement multiple projects. These efforts supported 6,381 individuals, including helping over 400 people transition off the streets into emergency accommodation, assisting more than 1,000 in securing and maintaining tenancies, and supporting others to access employment or training opportunities to lower their risk of homelessness.
In 2025/26, more than £900,000 was secured through the Rough Sleeping Prevention and Recovery Grant, targeting interventions for individuals at highest risk of returning to the streets and those experiencing long-term rough sleeping. So far, 488 people have been supported with 462 successfully maintaining or obtaining new accommodation.
Looking ahead, the WMCA reiterates its commitment to eradicating homelessness. The national strategy aligns closely with the Homelessness Taskforce’s priorities, emphasizing early prevention, addressing impacts on children, families, and rough sleepers, and fostering stronger collaboration across sectors.
The Homelessness Taskforce will continue to work with existing and new partners to intensify efforts, promoting systemic change and embedding sustainable solutions across the West Midlands region.