A PROJECT helping rough sleepers with mental health and addiction issues has been given a £88,000 boost.

Colchester Council has been handed the cash from the Government’s £25 million fund for rough sleepers.

The money will go towards a Rapid Rehousing Pathway which is run in partnership with Colchester Borough Homes.

It will be spent on providing specialist support to help vulnerable people access the services they need, such as counselling, housing advice, mental health support or substance misuse services.

Colchester is one of 108 local authorities to get the money.

Council leader Mark Cory said: “I am pleased to welcome this Government funding which will extend our work to address rough sleeping in Colchester and enable vulnerable individuals to access a package of support.

“This latest funding will make a difference in supporting vulnerable people sleeping rough in our community receive support to tackle mental health or addiction issues, turn their lives around and find a place they can eventually call home.

“However, we should not lose sight of the fact there are wider social issues causing people to become homeless and sleep rough that we, as a council, cannot tackle alone.

“While we and our partners are doing a great deal here in Colchester to plug the gaps left by Government, there is clearly more to do.”

Last year, Colchester Borough Homes and Colchester Council secured more than £300,000 from the Government to employ outreach workers, increase bed spaces in homeless shelters, pilot a Housing First approach and boost provision of its severe weather emergency protocol.