Luke Myer, Member of Parliament for Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland, has welcomed a £590,000 funding boost to help tackle homelessness in Middlesbrough – part of a major national package announced by the Labour Government on World Homeless Day.
The new investment will support Middlesbrough Council and local charities to strengthen homelessness prevention services, provide safe accommodation, and offer personalised support to families and individuals in need. The funding follows other actions by Labour to deliver record investment to end rough sleeping and ensure no child grows up without a secure place to call home.
In Middlesbrough, the grant will fund five new members of staff at Depaul UK, the local charity providing direct support to people sleeping rough. The team will extend opening hours at the Positive Pathway drop-in centre — a safe, welcoming space offering tea, toast, and practical help to get people off the streets and into stable housing. Another post will be created at the Council to focus on preventing homelessness before it happens.
Welcoming the funding, Middlesbrough Mayor Chris Cooke said:
“Providing meaningful support to people who are already homeless and those at risk of losing their home is a huge challenge for us and one we take enormously seriously. Our homelessness team and partner agencies deal with some of the most vulnerable people in society and if we can support them to turn their lives around the whole town feels the benefit. ”
Luke Myer MP said:
“This funding will be a lifeline for people in our town who have been let down for too long. No one in our community should be left without a safe place to call home. Homelessness can be prevented with the right action – and this is Labour delivering practical support to protect people and rebuild lives.”
Labour Government Housing Secretary Steve Reed said:
“Homelessness is a moral stain on our society. Growing numbers of people have been abandoned to sleep rough on the streets and children left in squalid, overcrowded conditions. This government will not stand idly by and allow that to continue. We will make different choices. That’s why we are investing £1 billion to give homeless people the security of a roof over their heads and get back on track to end homelessness for good.”
Nationally, the package will help councils across the UK provide tailored services — including mental health support, drug and alcohol treatment, and sustainable accommodation — ensuring people get the help they need to rebuild their lives. With this new support, Middlesbrough Council and local partners will continue their targeted work to prevent homelessness, help people recover from addiction, and give every resident the security and dignity of a place to call home.