Refuge Network International Featured by Channel 5 Following The Prime Minister’s Rough Sleeping Announcement
- 23 hours ago
- 2 min read
Refuge Network International was invited by Channel 5 to provide frontline insight into rough sleeping in London following Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s announcement of a national drive to offer every person sleeping rough in England a route off the streets by Christmas.
The Prime Minister’s announcement, backed by a £442 million package, draws on lessons from the pandemic-era Everyone In response, when emergency action brought thousands of people sleeping rough into accommodation and support. The new initiative aims to provide accommodation alongside practical support addressing housing, health and other needs. (GOV.UK)
Channel 5 Joins RNI on the Streets
Shortly after the Prime Minister’s announcement, Channel 5 contacted Refuge Network International to get our perspective on the issue.
The Channel 5 team spent approximately one hour with one of our outreach teams on the streets, observing our community programme, meeting some of the people we support and hearing directly about the challenges faced by rough sleepers.
The session was led by Andy Bell, Channel 5 Political Editor, and his team.
We are pleased to share a short clip from this engagement as part of the wider national conversation about rough sleeping and the Government’s commitment to tackling it.
From Ambition to Lasting Change
At Refuge Network International, we welcome the renewed national focus on rough sleeping and the Prime Minister's commitment to ending it. Our experience on the streets tells us that meaningful change requires more than providing a bed for one night.
People experiencing homelessness often face complex and interconnected challenges involving housing insecurity, health, employment, financial hardship, social isolation and access to appropriate support. Sustainable solutions therefore require coordinated action between government, local authorities, charities, community organisations, health services, businesses and people with lived experience.
The Government’s commitment represents an important opportunity to build on the lessons of the pandemic and create pathways that move people from the streets into safe, stable accommodation and longer-term independence.
Our role at Refuge Network International remains firmly rooted in the community. Through our street outreach and community support programmes, we continue to meet people where they are, provide essential supplies and meals, listen to their experiences and help connect vulnerable people with appropriate sources of support.
We are grateful to Channel 5 for taking the time to understand and highlight this work.
Ending rough sleeping is an ambitious goal—but one that deserves serious commitment, collaboration and sustained action.
At RNI, we will continue to play our part.
No one should have to sleep rough. Everyone deserves dignity, safety and a place to call home.
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