The Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Sub Committee was scheduled to discuss updates on homelessness services, strategies, and projects in the City of London. The committee was also expected to hear presentations from the Ministry of Housing, Communities, and Local Government (MHCLG) and the City of London Police.

Here are the key topics that were scheduled to be discussed:

Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy Update

The committee was scheduled to receive an update on the progress against the aims set out in the Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy 2023–2027. The City of London Corporation spends more than £4 million each year to deliver services, support and accommodation to prevent or resolve homelessness. The strategy has four strategic priorities:

• Providing rapid, effective and tailored interventions
• Securing access to suitable and affordable accommodation
• Working collaboratively with other agencies
• Supporting beyond accommodation

Introduction to Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Services

The Executive Director, Community & Children's Services was scheduled to present a report providing an overview of the Statutory Homelessness, Rough Sleeping (HRS) and Supported Accommodation Pathway teams. The report explains the statutory duties, service delivery, and the strategic context for the work of the teams. The report notes that homelessness and rough sleeping services are delivered by local authorities to meet the needs of homeless individuals and households, and that statutory homelessness is a regulated area with local authorities having statutory duties under Part VII Housing Act 1996¹ (as amended). The report also notes that regional and national homelessness and rough sleeping data is collected by the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG).

Meeting the Health Needs for People Rough Sleeping in the City of London

The Executive Director, Community & Children's Services was scheduled to present a report providing an overview of support offered across the City of London to address the health needs of the rough sleeping population, both in the context of local services and wider policy developments at the North East London level. The report notes that people experiencing homelessness in London often also experience significant health inequalities driven by overlapping social determinants such as poverty, unstable housing, substance use, and mental health issues. The report also notes that mobile healthcare models aim to reduce barriers that prevent rough sleepers from accessing traditional healthcare settings. The report references the NEL Homeless Health Strategy, noting that the strategy's overarching ambition is to:

Improve health and social outcomes for people experiencing homelessness through integrated health, care and housing pathways and a focus on the wider determinants of health.

Statutory Homelessness Service Development Plan

The Executive Director, Community & Children's Services was scheduled to present a report providing Members with an overview of the new Statutory Homelessness Service Development Plan (SDP). The plan was created as a response to recommendations made by the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG) following their diagnostic visit on 21 January 2025. This iteration of the SDP covers the period 1 June 2025 to 31 March 2026. The report references the following priorities from the Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy 2023–2027:

• Priority 1 – Providing rapid, effective and tailored interventions
• Priority 2 – Securing access to suitable, affordable accommodation
• Priority 3 – Achieving our goals through better collaboration and partnership

Co-Production Project Progress Report

The Executive Director of Community and Children's Services was scheduled to present a progress report on the co-production project. The report provides a summary of the achievements of the service over the last financial year, April 2024–March 2025, and the workplan for the current delivery year. The report notes that the Rough Sleeping Prevention and Recovery Grant (RSPRG) funds the co-production service until 31 March 2026. The report also notes that the co-production service delivered by Mayday Trust and Groundswell began in November 2023, and that the team delivers on three main areas:

• Advisory Group: Members are made up of diverse individuals with lived experience of homelessness and/or rough sleeping.
• Champions: Each rough sleeping and accommodation support service has a nominated champion.
• Workshops/promotion: This group sets up and facilitates four co-production workshops attended by leaders and decision-makers from across the CoL and all homelessness commissioned organisations.

City of London Police Update

The Commissioner of the City of London Police was scheduled to provide an update to the sub committee.