The government has announced another £15m of funding to help those sleeping rough, as part of a new scheme to help protect some of the most vulnerable people in our communities from Covid-19.

The money will help councils offer safe accommodation for those sleeping rough or for those at risk of becoming homeless.

This scheme – called the ‘Protect Programme’ – will help areas that need additional support most during the restrictions and throughout winter.

This will run alongside the ongoing ‘Everyone In’ campaign, designed to protect thousands of lives during the pandemic.

The £15m funding is in addition to the £91.5m allocated to 274 councils in September to fund their individual plans for rough sleepers over the coming months, as well as the £10m Cold Weather Fund for all councils to help keep rough sleepers safe this winter.

Areas with high numbers of rough sleepers will receive extra targeted support to provide accommodation for those currently sleeping rough, working with councils to prioritise those who are clinically vulnerable – this will continue throughout the winter until March 2021.

In order to help prevent people being at risk of homelessness, the housing secretary Robert Jenrick has confirmed that bailiff enforcement action will not be permitted during the national restrictions or over the Christmas period.

This builds on protections for tenants announced earlier this year, including six-month notice periods and new court rules meaning judges will prioritise the most serious of cases.

Jenrick said: “The way we have protected rough sleepers from Covid-19 is widely considered to be the best in the world.

“At the start of the pandemic we launched Everyone In, which protected thousands of vulnerable people. That work hasn’t stopped and we’ve backed it with £700m.

“As the new national measures come into force, I am launching the Protect Programme to ensure councils are offering everyone sleeping rough on our streets today somewhere safe to go – protecting people from the virus and moving forward with our goal of eliminating rough sleeping.”