ILKLEY MP Kris Hopkins has praised the work of voluntary organisations and councils in helping homeless people across the country.

Speaking at a Parliamentary reception in London hosted by Homeless Link, a charity which works directly with homeless people in England, the Communities Minister spoke of the Government’s sustained commitment to tackling homelessness and rough sleeping.

“We’ve backed this with over £1billion investment,” he said, “but it’s the voluntary sector, in partnership with local authorities that does the heavy lifting.”

Mr Hopkins said that, during his 15 months with ministerial responsibility for homelessness, he had seen the impact of the services offered to those in need which had helped take thousands of rough sleepers off the streets, out of addiction and into employment.

“For example, we should celebrate the success of Streetlink, the national rough sleeping hotline, website and app, that gives the public a means to act when they see someone sleeping rough,” he said.

“And the Government have supported No Second Night Out, a project aimed at ensuring that those sleeping rough do not spend a second night on the streets.”

The Conservative MP said that, on any given day, there were still more than 2,000 people sleeping rough and over 30,000 in hostels in England.

“This is unacceptable and as a caring society we shouldn’t be allowing this to happen,” he continued. “As well as the human cost, there’s also a financial cost because of the extra pressures on the NHS, the police and the criminal justice system.”

Mr Hopkins said he had recently met a former rough sleeper named Chris who had been to hospital 150 times in a single year. “But with the right support to build his confidence and esteem, this man turned his life round,” he said. “That’s why I want to do all I can to help those homeless single people who continue to end up on the streets.”

He continued: “All sorts of people end up homeless – young people, former members of the armed forces and people who have reached a crisis – there is no stereotype. Providing accommodation is not sufficient to prevent homelessness, and it is vital that vulnerable people can access a range of support so they can lead independent lives.”

The Communities Minister said that was why the Government had made £8 million available under the Help for Single Homeless Fund to support around 22,000 people including 6,000 newly homeless.

“We want better help for individuals with complex needs,” he said. “It’s not just about housing – it’s about a more integrated approach with better collaboration between agencies.”