Hundreds of homeless people housed within a week of £5m coronavirus plan announcement

More than 500 homeless people in Greater Manchester’s have been placed in hotels in the week since a £5 million coronavirus emergency plan was announced.

Up to a thousand hotel rooms across Greater Manchester have been freed up in a move mayor Andy Burnham hopes will create a ‘positive legacy’ out of the coronavirus crisis.

Rough sleepers, and those staying in shared accommodation, are among the most at risk at contracting and spreading the disease, and it is hoped that ‘everyone’ will be in accommodation.

Mr Burnham said there had been no further resistance to the plan since criticising Britannia Hotel in Manchester for evicting homeless people that were supposed to stay there last month.

But speaking at a Cobra-style press conference for Greater Manchester, he admitted that the combined authority has faced several challenges in putting it into practice.

Mr Burnham said: “We’ve already moved a considerable distance having accommodated 500 people.

“Further capacity is coming in the next few days and I would anticipate we’ll soon be in a position where everyone will be in accommodation. 

“We’ve got good cooperation from a number of organisations although the issues are challenging, particularly security and staffing and wider support.

“There’s more to do to put security on site alongside qualified professionals to provide drug and alcohol support services.”

The mayor’s charity has pledged a further £100,000 in emergency funding to homelessness groups working in Greater Manchester.

A separate appeal has been launched calling for donations of bulk food supplies, hygiene and sanitary products to create care packages for those being accommodated. If you want to make a donation please visit:

• www.gmmayorscharity.co.uk

With most government guidance online, and people asked to stay indoors, Mr Burnham is also seeking IT equipment so ‘everybody has access to the outside world’.

He added: “That appeal has gone out to businesses and individuals. We’ve stood this system up but we need to improve it as we go forward.

“I’m very proud of what people have done. I think maybe one of the things that will come from this whole situation is a positive legacy around homelessness.

“If we can stand up a system like this in difficult times, then why can’t we do it when times are easier?”

Niall Griffiths, Local Democracy Reporter