Sadiq Khan has launched his annual rough sleeping fundraising campaign, telling Londoners that their “support this year will be more vital than ever”.
It comes after the mayor admitted in October that street homelessness in the capital “will get worse before it gets better,” while insisting that he remains committed to his manifesto promise of ending rough sleeping in London by 2030.
Working with the charity TAP London, several contactless payment donation machines – known as TAP points – have been set up across the capital. Londoners can donate at those points or online at www.taplondon.org
According to the mayor’s office, donations will support charities via the London Charter to End Rough Sleeping, and will provide the following levels of support:
A total of 4,780 people were recorded sleeping rough in the capital between July and September this year, a rise of 18 per cent compared with the same period last year. Of that number, some 2,343 were sleeping rough for the first time.
Mr Khan said: “It’s shameful that the numbers of people forced to sleep on the streets is rising across the country and in London, and I’m determined to do everything I can to end rough sleeping in the capital for good by 2030.
“I’m proud that since taking office, more than 17,600 Londoners have been helped off the streets, and that we’ve been able to boost frontline homelessness support by quadrupling City Hall’s rough sleeping budget.”
The Labour mayor added: “The reality is that the situation will get worse before it gets better. That is why I’m urging Londoners to support our rough sleeping campaign this winter – your support this year will be more vital than ever. A small donation can help change lives, support people to stay off the streets for good, and ultimately create a better, fairer London for everyone.”
Despite the mayor’s party having been in Government for almost five months now, Mr Khan argues that “the scale of the [rough sleeping] challenge and the legacy of years of underinvestment from the previous Government in housing and support” means the situation has the potential to deteriorate further, at least in the short term.
Since 2017, when Mr Khan first launched his winter campaign, Londoners have donated over £700,000 to chosen rough sleeping charities. City Hall said this money had helped to fund “integral initiatives, projects, and support services”, providing “a vital lifeline for those sleeping rough across the capital”.
The campaign will also feature billboards promoting Streetlink - a referral service that can be used by anyone who wants to help someone sleeping rough. After alerting Streetlink to a rough sleeper’s location, a local outreach team will attempt to find them, assess their situation, and connect them with local support services.
Liza Begum, Westminster City Council’s cabinet member for housing services, said: “People end up rough sleeping on streets of Westminster for all sorts of complex reasons. Westminster City Council spends more than any other local authority on offering help and support to rough sleepers, and our teams are on the streets 365 days a year trying to offer help to get people off the pavements and into safer accommodation.
“The reality is that new people turn up on the streets all the time across London and in the depth of winter, life is harder than ever for them. The Mayor of London’s campaign is both timely and important in offering people in desperate circumstances a bridge to a better future. I am happy to support it.”
Pam Orchard, chief executive of The Connection at St Martin’s homeless charity, said: “We’re pleased that the mayor has continued his winter campaign this year, particularly as figures show it’s needed more than ever.
“Rough sleeping is not inevitable. We know that as a society we can end it, and we look forward to working with City Hall to achieve this.”
