Families facing homelessness given a lifeline through new housing partnership

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. 

Social housing landlord Trent & Dove has 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. 

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

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. 

Through its Supported Housing services, Trent & Dove provides that extra level of support, and builds on its vision of Transforming Homes, Lives and Communities.  

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. 

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 with the aim to keep them in a warm home. 

Trent & Dove’s Housing first officer, Kirsty Williams (pictured), 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. 

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, income maximisation, to enhance tenancy stability and prevent homelessness. 

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