Prime Minister Kevin Rudd made the announcement of extra funding for the personal helpers and mentors program this morning in an apparent bid to get Opposition Leader Tony Abbott to support the Government's target of halving homelessness by 2020.

"We are dead set determined on meeting our target of halving homelessness by 2020,'' he said.

"This is really important stuff. It is about our decency as a nation.''

Six new services will be established in communities with significant homeless populations in NSW, South Australia, Victoria and West Australia to help people with a mental illness who are homeless, or at risk of homelessness.

Mr Rudd said personal mentors worked one-on-one with participants with practical help to achieve their personal goals - for example, finding stable housing, or improving relationships with family and friends.

The announcement comes after Mr Abbott reportedly refused last week to commit to the Government's goal of halving homelessness by 2020. He reportedly suggested it was difficult to help people who were homeless if ''that's their choice''.