THE government has denied pulling the funding to house rough sleepers in hotels during the Covid-19 crisis despite a leaked report heavily suggesting otherwise. 

The document from the Ministry of Communities, Housing and Local Government (MCHLG), published today by the Manchester Evening News, allegedly tells councils that it is “drawing a line” under the scheme. 

If correct, this means that the thousands of rough sleepers put up in hotels since the outbreak began could be thrown back out onto the streets. 

Responding to the reports, Crisis chief executive Jon Sparkes said: “It’s completely unacceptable that people are being left abandoned on our streets and that people are at risk of being kicked out of hotels because councils lack the funds for them to stay.”

Shelter chief executive Polly Neate said: “We cannot allow all the progress made or that safety net to be quietly stripped back now with councils left to pick up the pieces on their own.”

But an MCHGL spokesperson said that the reports were “entirely false.” 

“We have been clear that councils must continue to provide safe accommodation for those that need it, and any suggestion that funding is being withdrawn or people asked to leave hotels is unfounded,” they insisted.