An innovative approach to homelessness prevention and work to reduce rough sleeping has bought a funding boost of around £2.5 million to the city.
Brighton & Hove City Council secured the money through successful bids for government funds to introduce new ways of working to prevent homelessness and rough sleeping.
Councillor Claire Moonan, lead member for homelessness and rough sleeping, said: “Brighton & Hove is a city with an acute housing crisis, and homelessness is an increasing pressure. We’ve worked hard to secure this extra funding to increase our homelessness work and it’s a reflection of the good reputation we have for innovative approaches in this area that we were able to draw the money to the city.
“Our vision is to work with partners across housing, social care, health, probation, and education as well as the voluntary sector to make sure all residents of our city to have access to a ‘Housing Action Plan’, to timely advice and information, and the earliest possible interventions to prevent small issues becoming bigger problems and housing crises.
“Through increasing intervention work, our aim is to reduce statutory and non-statutory homelessness and use of temporary accommodation. Setting up a plan for each household will avoid duplication and help services in the city become more efficient, and residents will have their expectations and goals clearly identified early on.
“A main thrust of this work is to identify the early triggers that can result in people becoming homeless and to work with them to build resilience and enable them to plan for any changes that would otherwise tip them into homelessness.”
The funding includes:
- £1.3 million for homelessness prevention trailblazer work
- £350,000 for new a post to support rough sleepers with substance misuse and mental health needs, and a worker to help people new to the streets or experiencing hidden forms of homelessness to get the accommodation and support they need
- Up to £1 million to work in partnership with neighbouring councils on a project to help long-term entrenched and revolving door rough sleepers to move them into sustainable accommodation and co-ordinate their engagement in substance misuse, mental health services and work and learning
This winter, the council is working with local homelessness charities on a ‘Make change count’ campaign to raise awareness of how to help people living rough on the streets. To donate to the local homeless charities behind the campaign, please go to www.localgiving.com/appeal/makechangecount.