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Action Plan: Reducing Rough Sleeping Among Central and Eastern Europeans in London
Funded by CLG, this piece of work builds on an earlier Homeless Link report written in 2006 in response to a growing concern from Homeless Link’s member agencies that the number of people from Central and Eastern Europe accessing their services was increasing. Homeless Link’s action plan also aims to reduce the risk of similar issues occurring in the future in relation to new migrant groups.
Download The Action Plan on Reducing Rough Sleeping Among Central and Eastern Europeans in London published on 11 June 2008.
Read our press release on the action plan launch
Key principles
Homeless Link will be working with stakeholders and agencies in London over the coming year to make the plan a reality. The development of the plan and its implementation is guided by a few key principles:
- The issue requires a response wider than the homelessness sector. The action plan was therefore produced in collaboration with government departments, embassies, homelessness agencies and a range of other partners
- It contains solutions aimed at reducing rough sleeping among Central and Eastern Europeans. It does not examine wider areas of immigration policy
- Mainstream solutions are seen as preferable to specialist provision, but where specialist provision is required it should be linked to mainstream services
- Some solutions are possible within existing local funding structures. Those requiring further, possibly national, resources are clearly marked
- The action plan is for London, with the expectation that the solutions identified can be transfered to other regions of the country
- The plan takes account of the different solutions required for the two distinct groups of Central and Eastern Europeans known to be rough sleeping, namely: (a) Those with no or very low support needs who are out of work or suffering a problem with housing; (b) Those that have medium to high support needs and vulnerabilities that have developed at home or during their time in England.
Areas of work
The action plan is split into eight key areas of work:
- Reconnection and return home (for those that want to)
- Access to and protection in employment
- Communication on available services
- Work in Central and Eastern European States
- Accommodation
- Support needs of Central and Eastern Europeans
- Support needs of homelessness agencies and staff
- Incentives and enforcement
This action plan is focused on Central and Eastern Europeans with no recourse to public funds. It is important to recognise that many Central and Eastern Europeans will have some recourse to public funds dependant on personal circumstances, especially if they are currently in employment.