Family and Community Services Minister Gabrielle Upton today announced a boost of $8.6 million per year until June 2017 for specialist homelessness services in NSW.

The Service Support Fund was established to help specialist homelessness services providers that were unsuccessful in the Going Home Staying Home tender to deliver additional and complimentary services.

Minister Upton said “I am delighted to announce the extension of funding for the Service Support Fund to 30 June 2017.

“Today’s announcement of additional funding is over and above the existing $148 million annual investment into specialist homelessness services,” Ms Upton said.

“It means even more help for those who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.

“The Going Home Staying Home reforms mean more money and better homelessness services delivered to the areas of greatest need.

“Over the next three years, the NSW Liberals & Nationals are investing a record half a billion dollars to better prevent and address homelessness in NSW.

“I was determined that those organisations that were not successful in the Going Home Staying Home tender, as well as their staff, would still be supported during the transitional period, and asked the Department of Family and Community Services to establish the Service Support Fund.

“The extension of funding for the Service Support Fund from 1 February 2016 until 30 June 2017 will allow homelessness service providers to continue their important work of delivering positive services to those who need it most.”

Extension of Service Support Fund funding is dependent on organisations demonstrating satisfactory performance in their annual performance review.