More than £900,000 to support rough sleepers in Bradford district with drug and alcohol problems

The funding is aimed at supporting some of the district’s most vulnerable populations, people sleeping rough and/or poorly housed who have multiple disadvantages including problematic drug and/or alcohol use, poor physical health and /or mental health and unsettled lifestyles.

It will be used to put in place a variety of additional support to both engage with those experiencing homelessness and problematic drug and/or alcohol use and to provide them with rapid access to treatment and ongoing intense support. 

This will  include an increase in street/care navigator workers, additional mental health support and specialist substance misuse nurse input.   

A joint bid was submitted into the Government’s Rough Sleepers Drug and Alcohol grant initiative and a sum of £922,181 has been awarded to Bradford Council, local delivery partners and NHS Bradford District and Craven Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG). 

Cllr Sarah Ferriby, Bradford Council’s Executive Member for Healthy People and Places, said:  “We know that one of the main issues facing those sleeping rough, or at risk of homelessness, is misuse of drugs or alcohol and what a crippling effect these substances have on people’s lives. This grant will help people who sleep rough struggling with addiction to improve their health, break these patterns and give them the support they need.”

Cllr Abdul Jabar, Bradford Council’s Executive Member for Neighbourhoods and Community Safety, said:  “This funding will not only help those personally fighting addiction, but also benefit their loved ones and the communities who suffer from the often very difficult consequences of substance misuse.”