ALL rough sleepers in St Helens are being offered accommodation to protect them from the coronavirus pandemic, a senior councillor has said.

On Friday afternoon housing minister Luke Hall wrote to councils in England with details of how to implement the government’s plans of finding accommodation for rough sleepers.

This came after national homelessness charity Crisis revealed the government had written to local authorities asking them to house all people sleeping rough, and those in hostels and night shelters, by the weekend.

“As you know, this is a public health emergency,” the government’s homelessness tsar Dame Louise Casey said in the letter, which was sent to homelessness managers and rough sleeping coordinators in every local authority on Thursday.

“We are all redoubling our efforts to do what we possibly can at this stage to ensure that everybody is inside and safe by this weekend, and we stand with you in this.

“These are unusual times so I’m asking for an unusual effort.

“Many areas of the country have already been able to ’safe harbour’ their people which is incredible.

“What we need to do now though is work out how we can get ‘everyone in’.”

Jon Sparkes, chief executive of Crisis, called the move a “landmark moment”.

However, he said questions remain about how local authorities will be supported to do this, and whether additional funding, or assistance securing hotel rooms, will be made available.

In St Helens, the council has been working with volunteers to help comply with the current government guidance.

Cllr Jeanie Bell, St Helens Council’s cabinet member for community safety, said: “Our teams have been working incredibly hard with partners across the borough, including the voluntary sector, to ensure we are complying with government guidance for those who are homeless and rough sleeping, and offering accommodation to all.

“In St Helens we have been providing additional resources in this area for some time now, putting us in a strong position to help those in need.

“However, this has been extremely challenging time for all of our services.

“If you know of someone who needs help or who is facing crisis please let them know we can help and ask them to get in touch with our Housing Options and Advice Service on 01744 675150.”