We're investing £432m to tackle homelessness so everyone has a route off the streets by Christmas
Lorraine Beavers MP for Blackpool North and Fleetwood has her say in her weekly column.
Last week, as we do every year, we were out in Fleetwood helping to put up the poppies ahead of Remembrance Day.
It's something we've done in Fleetwood for years now and I am always proud to do my but for it. It is a simple but important reminder of the sacrifices made by those who have served us and their bravery.
Our community has a very proud history of service, so I know how much Remembrance means to families across our town. We will never forget those who gave so much for us. I want to say a massive thank you to everyone who came along and volunteered their time to help out.
Last week was also Supported Housing Week. To mark it, I visited Abbeyfield's supported housing at Norbreck House. Supported housing can be a lifeline. It means so many people get the safety and company they need to live independently. No matter how old you are, everyone benefits from having somewhere stable and people you can trust.
Meeting the staff was fantastic. Seeing just how much they care about the people they support was a privilege. I think tou can tell when people genuinely love the work they do, and it was lovely to see. Thank you to everyone at Norbreck House for inviting me along, it was a real pleasure to visit.
Down in Westminster, by the time you are reading this, the Chancellor will have delivered his Budget. There are a couple of announcements I have been particularly happy to see.
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First, the Government has protected pensioners on low incomes in from having to pay income tax simply because their state pension has gone up. The full new state pension is rising by 3.9% next April, taking it above the usual tax-free allowance.
It would have been wrong for pensioners relying solely on their state pension to face a tax bill because of that increase. I told the government they couldn’t allow this to happen, so I'm glad they are doing to something to stop it happening.
Secondly, another £432 million has been committed to tackling rough sleeping, bringing the total funding for the Andy Burnham’s plan to £874 million.
I know from speaking to people and organisations in Blackpool North and Fleetwood that homelessness is rarely just about losing a home. People can be facing ill health, family breakdown or other serious problems, and they need proper support, not just somewhere to stay for one night.
The aim is to offer everyone sleeping rough a route off the streets by Christmas, with support continuing beyond the winter.
That's the sort of difference I want government decisions to make: helping people when they need it most.