South Kesteven District Council will receive a share of almost £600,000 from a government fund set up to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping.

The money from the latest round of funding from the Rough Sleeping Initiative will be split between South Kesteven, North Kesteven, South Holland and West Lindsey district councils.

It will pay for a 14-strong team that will help to reduce, through prevention, the number of rough sleepers and the number of ‘repeat’ rough sleepers; improve their physical and mental wellbeing; and provide more support in settled accommodation.

The team will include outreach workers, lettings officers, intensive support officers and a physical health professional.

SKDC Deputy Leader, Cllr Barry Dobson, said: “This has been a genuine partnership approach across the four districts to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping. Working together we can help some of the most vulnerable people in our communities.

“The main aim of the funding is to make contact with people sleeping rough and enable them to access and sustain safe accommodation.”

The Rough Sleeping Initiative was announced in March 2018 and is administered by the Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government.

Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick MP said: “No-one should have to face a night on the street and we have a moral duty to support those who need help the most.”