A CHARITY supporting homeless people faces an uncertain future after Bury Council decided to axe its funding.

Bury Housing Concern (BHC) has received a £75,000 grant each year since 1998 to help rough sleepers across the borough.

The charity helps homeless people to find accommodation, access healthcare, and apply for benefits and jobs. It also provides food, clothes, and laundry facilities. But the council decided to stop its funding in March and wrote to the charity giving three months’ notice.

On hearing the news, two clients decided to seek a judicial review because the council did not carry out an adversity impact assessment under the Disability Discrimination Act.

The council agreed to reinstate funding for three months until September while the assessment is carried out by Bury Third Sector Development Agency.

But if it still decides to stop the grant, BHC, which is based in Tithebarn Street, Bury, could be forced to close.

Nick Chew, secretary to the charity’s trustees, said: “Without this money we will have to close down and make our staff redundant. Homeless people will have nowhere else to go. They could die on the streets because they won’t have anywhere to turn. They might start committing petty crime because they have no money for food.”

A council spokesman said: “As with all service providers that we contract with, we have to ensure effective outcomes and efficiency.

“As part of our annual review of funding, we were unclear about the outcomes and the benefits from the service provided by Bury Housing Concern. However, following concerns, we agreed to undertake a best value review, and the outcome of that will inform our future procurement plans.

“A review is now being carried out into how the needs of service users can best be met. While that review is going on, the council has re-instated funding to Bury Housing Concern for three months.”