HAMPSHIRE could be in line for a hefty grant to help the growing number of rough sleepers.

It comes as the government has pledged to put together a team of experts to determine where a £30 million fund should go.

Ministers say they want to “break the homelessness cycle once and for all” and councils with high levels of rough sleepers will be helped, said communities secretary Sajid Javid.

Mr Javid said the latest plans were part of the government’s work to halve rough sleeping by 2022 and eliminate it by 2027

Currently, it is unknown how much the county council or other authorities will be given, although Cllr David Shields, cabinet member for health and community safety in Southampton, is concerned it may not be enough.

He said: “My worry is that the lion’s share of the grant will go to the big urban areas, like London and Manchester. We have just as much of a problem here in the south, albeit more spread.”

But despite his concerns, the cash would still be welcomed.

“We would definitely put the money towards additional hostel places,” said Cllr Shields.

“At the moment we have to ensure that we meet the needs of the city’s homeless population and have enough money to invest in these services.”

The rough sleeping team will be made up of experts from government departments and agencies that have specialist knowledge in areas such as housing, mental health and addiction.

Mr Javid promised that £100,000 of funding will go to frontline rough sleeping workers across the country to ensure they have the right skills to deal with the issue.

A spokesperson for Hampshire County Council said: “Any additional funding to tackle homelessness is to be welcomed. This would normally go direct to Hampshire’s housing authorities who have statutory obligations for tackling the issue. We will continue to work closely with our district and borough partners to ensure that homeless people with adult social care needs are identified at the earliest opportunity so that the appropriate support can be put in place.”