A charity fighting homelessness is warning it will have to end its services in Dorset if funding isn't reviewed.

Julian House is a charity supporting vulnerable and at-risk individuals in Dorset and the south west. So far in 2024, Julian House supported 134 people in Dorset who were homeless or rough-sleeping.

The charity receives a large share of its funding from Dorset Council through central government grants.

This funding was announced by the previous government in the 2021 spending review and comes to an end at the end of the financial year. Nationally, it equates to almost £1bn of funding leaving the homelessness system.

The charity says if the funding isn't reviewed, its services in Dorset will close. This includes local commissioning, outreach and supported accommodation.

Helen Bedser, Chief Executive of Julian House said: “Historic government commitments to ending rough sleeping have been admirable – but we are still nowhere near achieving it. In fact, rough sleeping is on the rise.

"Our team in Dorset is seeing more and more people forced into homelessness. We want to help, but we and other local charities need the funds to do so.”

The 'cliff-edge' comes at a time when homelessness and rough sleeping are rising sharply.

In 2023, rough sleeping in Dorset increased by 25%.

Nationally, rough sleeping rose by 27% in 2023 and by 60% since 2021.

A spokesperson for Dorset Council said: "The Rough Sleeping Initiative (RSI) funding which was agreed by the last Govt for three years, ends in March 2025.

"We are working with Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) colleagues and awaiting an update with regards to the continuation of this funding stream, which is much needed to support our most vulnerable citizens.

"The funding is vital, over a sustained period, to support Dorset Council and its partner agencies in providing this continued support for this vulnerable group.”

“Dorset’s council’s homelessness services remain strong and are bucking the national trend through innovative and proactive work that is reducing homelessness against a backdrop of rising numbers in other areas.  

"We are committed to helping anyone and are running our successful awareness campaign in conjunction with partners, Citizens Advice and Shelter. Rough sleepers is a small part, albeit a crucial one, in wider homelessness activity to help local people.”

Julian House is joining the charity Homeless Link, the membership body for frontline homelessness services in England, in calling for the chancellor to extend the current funding package until 2025/26.

This includes additional funding to recognise the prolonged period of high inflation that service providers have had to operate in.

Beyond that, it's calling for the government to review all homelessness spending, before implementing a new ring-fenced funding system from 2026/27.

Rick Henderson, CEO at Homeless Link, said: “Everyone needs a safe place to live. Homelessness services do vital work in supporting people who often have complex needs in addressing the issues behind their homelessness and helping them build new lives.

“But services need certainty to allow them to plan for the future and continue to support people. Announcing a rollover of homelessness funding in the upcoming budget, with a commitment to implement a new ring-fenced funding system down the line, will allow homelessness providers to breathe a little bit easier and provide the kind of consistency people experiencing homelessness need."