North Swindon MP and minister at the Department for Work & Pensions Justin Tomlinson has welcomed news that Swindon is to benefit from an investment of more than £250,000 to further support ending rough sleeping.

The government has pledged to eradicate rough sleeping by 2027, and earlier this year pledged a £30 million investment into the Rough Sleeping Initiative fund for 2018-19 – of which Swindon received £194,000.

This week the government announced a further provisional £34m investment for 2019-20, of which Swindon will receive £255,125.

Locally, Swindon Borough Council spends £1.4 million a year on a range of schemes to support the town’s homeless including five key supported housing schemes that specialise in street homeless, offenders, young people, and those suffering from domestic abuse.

As minister for supported housing Mr Tomlinson is in charge of one of the key means to help vulnerable people Last month he announced that responsibility for supporting housing would remain with central government rather than being devolved.

The MP recently visited the Salvation Army site at Booth House in the town centre meeting with staff, volunteers and residents.

He received a tour of the two enterprises the Salvation Army operates out of Booth House to support its residents - The Sandwich People (which caters for private and charity events across Swindon) and Recycles (which fixes, restores and sells bicycles).

He said: “This is a significant investment from the Government, which will greatly help the local authority’s work to tackle homelessness.

“To end rough sleeping is very ambitious, and I am proud that the Government is backing this up with generous investment.”