News

Families at risk of homelessness have been given a lifeline thanks to a new partnership designed to prevent them from having to stay in temporary accommodation such as hotels or B&Bs.

We have teamed up with North West Leicestershire District Council to provide warm and safe homes for local children and their families who are at risk of being made homeless due to unaffordable increases in private rented accommodation or relationship breakdowns.

The teams have made five brand-new family homes available for those who may otherwise have had to move into hotels or B&Bs while they wait for a permanent place to call home.

This gives families support and allows them to continue with their normal routine and space during a difficult time in their lives.

The partnership launches as we support the National Housing Federation’s first-ever Supported Housing Week, taking place this week.

Supported housing gives people the reassurance they need to feel safe and secure, and that there is always someone around.

Housing First Officer, Kirsty Williams, provides support to people who have been identified as homeless

Nationally, many supported housing services have been lost to funding costs, wiping out the possibility for a safe and affordable home for thousands of people each year, according to the National Housing Federation. The consequences place even more pressure on vital services such as the NHS and social care.

We are not just a social housing landlord. Through our Supported Housing services, we provide that extra level of support, and build on our vision of Transforming Homes, Lives and Communities.

This week, we are spotlighting Housing First, Next Steps and Sycamore Court - life-changing services within our Supported Housing function. These services help people who are rough sleeping or at risk of homelessness, including those living in temporary accommodation such as B&Bs and hotels, and people staying on friends’ or family members’ sofas - often described as “hidden homelessness” - to move into warm, safe homes.

It operates a pathway supporting individuals on a journey from histories of entrenched homelessness into permanent tenancies and homes while providing tailored, intensive and personalised support and case management.

Supported Housing colleagues help customers build the confidence and practical skills they need to keep their home. This can include help with budgeting, understanding bills, managing appointments and making sure they have the support they need to live safely and comfortably.

Housing First Officer, Kirsty Williams supports people identified as homeless in many ways

Housing First

This journey often starts with Housing First, a service commissioned by East Staffordshire Borough Council. 

It offers them a home first - before exploring the real reasons for their homelessness, which could include multiple and complex needs, and histories of entrenched or repeat homelessness. It then designs a support package, aiming to keep them in a warm home.

Our Housing First Officer, Kirsty Williams, said:

“Housing First is built around seven principles, including choice, control, flexible support and separation of housing and support. People are not required to engage with support as a condition of keeping their home.

“This matters because everyone’s journey is different.  For people experiencing long-term homelessness alongside multiple and complex needs, traditional services don’t always work.

“Others may have faced trauma, mental health, substance use, relationship breakdown, poverty or repeated experiences of services that haven’t worked for them.”

Housing First has smaller caseloads and fully respects the choices of each person by linking with relevant services that help to meet the full range of a person’s needs.

There is never a typical day for Kirsty and, while planning is important, she has learnt to adapt as situations develop.

Her morning might begin by explaining a letter to a customer, a housing issue to resolve or a phone call that feels too difficult for the person to make alone. She might attend a medical appointment with someone and help them budget for the week.

Next Steps

Next Steps is a community-based supported accommodation funded via East Staffordshire Borough Council, to assist people into housing by breaking the cycle of going from shared to supported accommodation. It is hoped they will eventually gain a ‘general needs’ tenancy.

The aim of Next Steps is to provide supported accommodation and targeted, short-term person-centred weekly support for up to two years. The service focuses on partnership working, early intervention and practical support such as setting up and paying bills, and income maximisation , to enhance tenancy stability and prevent homelessness.

Since Next Steps was established in 2021, we have supported 43 people, with 32 of these people moving on after getting the support they needed.

Sycamore Court

Sycamore Court is an 11-bed Intensive Housing Management supported housing scheme, providing accommodation and targeted, short-term person-centred support for up to two years.

Sycamore Court supports individuals who have never had a tenancy or have failed previous tenancies, allowing them to learn or build on their skills to eventually move on to general needs accommodation. 

Individuals receive intensive support, with a Support Officer on site Monday to Friday.

Since Sycamore Court opened in 2021, we have housed 35 people. Of these, 24 have moved on, with 21 successfully moving onto general needs tenancies.

Supported Housing Week

The first-ever Supported Housing Week seeks to highlight the importance of these vital services. We are delighted to join the National Housing Federation in calling for a secure future for supported housing by shining a light on life-changing services.