MORE than £60,000 of extra money has been pledged to help people at risk of homelessness.

Help to prevent single people or childless couples who are at risk of homelessness will rise to £301,500 a year, an increase of £61,500.

Worcestershire councils have awarded the contract to support people at risk of homelessness to Caring for Communities and People (CCP).

The new service will also see the number of emergency shelters for rough sleepers across Worcestershire rise from two to five.

The shelters will be based in Worcester, Malvern, Evesham, Kidderminster, and Redditch, enabling people to be given help locally.

The existing two shelters are in Worcester and Redditch - while locations have not yet been agreed for the other three towns.

CCP will open the shelters on any night when the temperature is predicted to fall to zero or below, in line with Worcestershire’s Severe Weather Emergency Protocol.

The county-wide service has been commissioned by district councils across Worcestershire, and will be jointly funded and managed them and Worcestershire County Council.

Jonathan Sutton of Worcester Cares, which brings together St Paul’s Hostel and Maggs Day Centre, police, businesses, churches, Worcester BID and Worcester City Council, said: "This is great news. The investment in these services is much needed.

"This grant demonstrates that people recognise the need to work together to tackle the problems posed by homelessness.

The new contract with CCP will run from this October to the end of September 2021. It will be governed and managed by a county-wide group of officers.

The Advertiser reported in December last year that Redditch had been identified as having one of the highest levels of homelessness in the region, according to figures released by housing charity Shelter.

According to the report, the number of homeless people in the West Midlands increased by more than 2,500 to 24,000 in 2018, with Redditch coming in 11th for the highest rate of homelessness in the region.

Shelter said there were 81 people in Redditch in temporary accommodation, with another four people sleeping on the streets.