Homeless people sleeping rough should benefit from £200,000 to help get them off the streets.

St Albans District Council and Dacorum Borough Council were awarded £200,000 from the Rough Sleeping Initiative Fund for 2019 and 2020.

The funds will be used to support homeless people in the area and will also fund a Housing First project where rough sleepers will be placed in suitable accommodation and receive help.

St Albans District Council’s head of housing Karen Dragovic said: “We are very pleased that we have obtained these funds from our joint bid with Dacorum Borough Council.

“The overarching aim is to get rough sleepers off the streets and help them towards new pathways.”

Money will also go towards providing outreach workers who engage with rough sleepers on the streets to make them aware of the services that they offer.

The council has also been working with charities, faith groups and other organisations as part of the St Albans rough sleepers steering group on these issues.

To find out more about the council’s help for the homeless go to https://www.stalbans.gov.uk/housing/homelessness/.