Efforts to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping in Glasgow are at risk by a lack of certainty over funding for a ground-breaking initiative.

The city is facing a cut of £1.2m if the Scottish Government does not continue funding the Rapid Rehousing Transition programme beyond next year.

Officials have started preparing an “exit strategy” from the RRTP if cash is not forthcoming.

RRTP, or Housing First, gives people who are homeless a home and provides key support services to deal with problems like addiction that have prevented them getting a tenancy in the past.

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Morehtan £50m was allocated by the Scottish Government for a five-year programme that is due to end next year.

The Health and Social Care Partnership has said it needs to extend the RRTP, known as Housing First for at least another two years until 2026.

The Scottish Government said it is committed to RRTP and will be speaking to councils about future funding.

But the HSCP said it has no formal commitment funding will be available.

It stated: “If funding beyond 2024/25 is not confirmed in the Scottish Government Budget announced in December 2023, an exit strategy will be implemented to reduce annual investment plans by £1.237m to stay within the financial envelope available from 2024/25.”

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Funding for homelessness services is needed more than ever with the HSCP highlighting the cost of living crisis and refugees from Ukraine meaning more homes are needed.

The council hopes to end the use of bed and breakfast hotel accommodation over the next three years.

However, the latest figures show the number of people in hotels rising every three months.

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “Rapid Rehousing Transition Plans (RRTPs) play an important role in Scotland’s strategy to end homelessness.

“The Scottish Government is providing local authorities with £52.5 million between 2018-24 for their RRTPs to support people into settled accommodation first before helping them with their longer-term needs. We are also providing them with £30.5 million in 2023-24 for their work to prevent homelessness.

“We remain wholly committed to the implementation of RRTPs and will be consulting with local authorities over the coming months to confirm future funding arrangements.”

A spokesperson for Glasgow Health and Social Care Partnership said: “Through the Rapid Rehousing Transition Fund we have worked well with the Scottish Government and made progress in addressing homelessness in the city, particularly in regards to sustained reductions in rough sleeping.

“We are engaging positively with the Scottish Government in relation to the continued funding of the Rapid Rehousing Transition Plan. We are optimistic the Scottish Government will continue funding to support our work in transforming the delivery of homelessness services.”