Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
Charity services are at breaking point
Government investment desperately needed
A dire warning that rising homelessness in Canterbury is pushing support services to breaking point has come from a leading charity.
Porchlight says it is alarmed at the escalating scale of the problem after its latest count revealed almost 100 people sleeping rough in the city – up 32% in a year.
Support workers now fear with the return of bitterly cold weather, the situation could become life threatening for those on the streets.
The charity’s concerns echo that of Catching Lives which operates day and winter night shelters for the homeless in Canterbury.
It clashed recently with the city council which it accused of ‘under-reporting’ the statistics. The claim was challenged by council bosses which said it was only providing figures to the criteria set by the government.
Porchlight chief executive Mike Barratt says it is struggling to cope with rising homelessness across Kent because of funding cuts. “Another year of increased homelessness has seen our services stretched to breaking point,” he said.
“As we move into the coldest month of the year, our concern is helping people off the streets before their situation becomes life threatening.”
Between April and December 2017, Porchlight worked with 633 rough sleepers in Kent compared with 462 the previous year. In Canterbury, its team found 97 people sleeping rough between the same months, compared to 73 in the previous year.
Porchlight gives homeless people somewhere to live for up to two years and helps to rebuild their lives, including one-to-one support.
Mr Barrett says: “Canterbury City Council puts funding toward some Porchlight services, but not every council is in a position to do so and money remains tight.
“Some are being forced into making impossible decisions on how to spend their diminishing social care budgets and this is decimating the help that’s there for people in need. This includes our street teams and our hostels.
He added: “Instead of simply placing the responsibility onto local authorities, the government needs to make proper investment in homelessness support. Until it does, nothing will change and homelessness will continue into the next generation.”