Bev Craig pledges to expand A Bed Every Night under plans to tackle homelessness

Labour's candidate for Mayor of Greater Manchester has pledged to expand the A Bed Every Night scheme and strengthen homelessness prevention if elected.

Bev Craig announced the plans during visits to Loaves & Fishes Homelessness Charity and the Oldfield Basin regeneration scheme in Salford.

Craig said tackling homelessness would be a central priority of her mayoralty, with proposals focused on increasing emergency accommodation, preventing homelessness before it happens and delivering more genuinely affordable and social homes across Greater Manchester.

During her visit to Loaves & Fishes, she met people who have experienced homelessness to hear how practical support, advice and early intervention can help people rebuild their lives.

She also met Jennifer Anne Smith, chief executive of the charity, to discuss support for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness and how closer working between charities, councils and the Greater Manchester Combined Authority could help prevent homelessness.

The visit included discussions with volunteers, support workers and partner organisations including Citizens Advice, Healthwatch and Jak's World about providing joined up support for housing, health and employment.

Labour said the number of people sleeping rough in Greater Manchester has fallen since 2018 while the national figure has increased, attributing the change to investment, prevention and partnership working.

If elected, Craig said she would expand A Bed Every Night so every Greater Manchester borough could provide emergency accommodation alongside support services.

Her plans also include strengthening early intervention for young people and families, reducing the number of families living in temporary accommodation, increasing the supply of genuinely affordable and social housing and supporting people into stable housing, employment and better health.

Following the visit, Craig travelled to Oldfield Basin in Salford, where former industrial land is being redeveloped for new homes close to jobs, public transport and local services. She said the scheme reflected her ambition to bring more brownfield land back into use while protecting green spaces.

Craig said. "Homelessness is about far more than sleeping rough. It's families in temporary accommodation, people sofa surfing and too many without a safe place to call home.

"As Mayor, I'll make ending homelessness a central mission by expanding A Bed Every Night, preventing homelessness before it starts and delivering the genuinely affordable homes Greater Manchester needs.

"We'll only achieve that by working together which is why I'll work alongside charities like Loaves & Fishes, councils and communities to help more people find not just a home, but the support they need to rebuild their lives."