Homelessness Strategy 2017–21 Action Plan (Reviewed December 2019)

Objective 1: Prevent homelessness and sustain tenancies

Priority 1: Provide a housing prevention service to all clients

Action

Output

Timescale

Lead Role

Partners

Resources

1.1 Improve the usage and variety of web-based Common Housing Problem factsheets

  • Available on Council website for customers
  • All Prevention & Relief officers use factsheets with their clients
  • Signposted to via Housing Duty Line
  • On-going
  • Housing Needs Manager

 

  • Staff

1.2 Continue to

operate Council’s Money Support Team and explore extending service to partner agencies

  • Refer all eligible households to this service
  • Year 3-5
  • Housing Needs Manager
  • Family Support Team
  • Council funded by Homelessness Support Grant Funding

1.3 Undertake a targeted financial awareness campaign through social media channels to raise awareness of financial responsibility, budgeting skills and help services

  • Producing tweets and posts on all social media platforms: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram
  • Holding relevant ‘awareness weeks’ targeted at local needs/issues
  • Year 3-5
  • Housing Needs Manager
  • Money Support Team
  • Communications Team
  • Housing Team
  • Staff

Priority 2: Ensure clients are referred to support services to get into housing or sustain their current housing

Action

Output

Timescale

Lead Role

Partners

Resources

1.4 Identify and support the most vulnerable clients into supported housing to prevent homelessness

  • Vulnerable clients are identified by Prevention and Relief Service and referrals made to supported housing providers
  • Housing Support Coordinator and Accommodation Officer access services & housing pathways
  • Group workshops on housing issues delivered to vulnerable clients and services
  • On going
  • Housing Needs Manager
  • Supported housing providers
  • ESDAS
  • I-Access
  • CMHT
  • CDA
  • Renewed Hope Trust
  • Parachute
  • Staff

Priority 3: Ensure victims of domestic abuse are referred to support services and given timely advice and assistance

Action

Output

Timescale

Lead Role

Partners

Resources

1.5 Monitor the number of enquiries from victims of domestic abuse, ensure housing service staff are trained to recognise and respond appropriately to victims

  • Annual statistics collected on enquiries and analysed 6 monthly
  • Staff receive training updates
  • Improved recording and analysis of outcomes for victims Victims referred to ESDAS drop in Service
  • Year 1: Collection and analysis of statistics
  • Year 2-5: Establishing programme to respond post- analysis
  • Housing Needs Manager
  • RBWA
  • ESDAS
  • Surrey Police
  • MARAC
  • Staff
  • SCC Training programmes
  • Sanctuary Scheme
  • Surrey Police
  • RBWA

Priority 4: Provide support and assistance to single homeless people and rough sleepers

Action

Output

Timescale

Lead Role

Partners

Resources

1.6 Continue to jointly fund East Surrey Outreach Service (eSOS) to enable them to

operate their ‘no first night out’ approach across East Surrey

  • eSOS staff work in partnership with East Surrey Councils to identify and make contact with rough sleepers
  • Rough sleepers helped to access services and housing options
  • Years 1-5
  • Housing Needs Manager
  • East Surrey Councils
  • Thames Reach
  • Raven Housing Trust
  • Community Mental Health Team
  • I-Access
  • Police
  • Probation
  • Surrey County Council
  • MHCLG funding
  • Staff
  • Accommodation provided by partners
  • Funding from the four local authority partners

1.7  Provide a worker to support complex needs rough sleepers & those at risk and provide a service and accommodation pathway

  • During 2019/20 reduce street homelessness & those at risk from 2018/19 levels through intensive support work
  • Additional funding secured for 2020/21 to continue project and secure two assessment

beds

  • 12 months September 2019 to August 2020
  • Mole Valley DC
  • eSOS
  • East Surrey Councils
  • Short-term MHCLG Rapid Rehousing Pathway funding

1.8 Apply for MHCLG Cold Weather Fund

  • Funding secured and directed to assisting non-priority need single homeless people refused access to the local Winter Night Shelter 2019/20.
  • Year 4
  • Housing Services Manager
  • eSOS
  • MHCLG fund

1.9 Provide supported accommodation for single people with complex needs

  • Buildings or sites identified
  • Revenue and capital funding agreed
  • Tender undertaken to secure a support provider
  • Year 4

onwards

  • Housing Strategy & Projects Manager
  • Surrey County Council
  • I-Access
  • Probation
  • Community Mental Health Team
  • Staff
  • Developer financial contributions
  • Source of revenue funding to be agreed

1.10 Apply for MHCLG Rough Sleeping Initiative (RSI) 2020-21

  • Support worker in place working with homeless prison leavers & hospital discharges to resolve housing issues
  • Year 3 -5
  • Housing Services Manager
  • eSOS
  • MHCLG grant
  • staff

1.11 Develop a pathway for Rough sleepers

  • Produce a pathway plan for rough sleepers which includes access to local support services through improved partnership working
  • Present pathway plan to partner agencies for potential adoption
  • Update website with an information pack and sign posting to advice and services
  • Year 5
  • Housing Needs Manager
  • eSOS
  • Staff

Objective 2: Increase the supply of private rented accommodation available to people at risk of homelessness

Priority 1: Improve access to suitable private rented accommodation for households at risk of homelessness or experiencing homelessness

Action

Output

Timescale

Lead Role

Partners

Resources

2.1 Continue to operate an enhanced NextStep Rent Deposit Scheme

  • Provide 90 tenancies per year
  • On going
  • Housing Needs Manager
  • NextStep
  • Staff
  • Homelessness Support Grant

2.2 Create and implement Homelessness Loan Prevention Scheme (HPLS)

  • Set up payment and recovery scheme
  • Year 1: set up scheme
  • Year 2-5: operate scheme
  • Housing Services Manager
  • NextStep
  • Staff
  • ICT
  • Funding: Repossession Prevention Fund

2.3 Continue to operate the Rent Guarantor Scheme for suitable households at risk of homelessness and share good practice with other Councils

  • Eligible households assisted
  • Share good practice through Surrey Housing Needs and MHCLG
  • Year 1-5: On- going
  • Housing Needs Manager

 

  • Staff

Objective 3: Work in partnership to minimise the impact of welfare reform on our residents and improve access to employment opportunities for people in housing need and at risk of homelessness

Priority 1: Deliver a multi-agency support service to assist residents affected by welfare reform to prevent homelessness

Action

Output

Timescale

Lead Role

Partners

Resources

3.1 Work in partnership to minimise homelessness arising from welfare reform through the provision of on- going advice and support to affected households

  • Regular liaison with Revenues, Benefits, DWP, Citizen Advice
  • Staff trained on welfare benefits
  • Agreement in place for Benefits team to identify capped households for early intervention
  • 100% of affected households contacted and given advice & support to manage impact
  • On-going
  • Housing Needs Manager
  • Benefits Team
  • DWP
  • Revenues Team
  • Citizens Advice
  • Staff

Objective 4: Reduce the use of bed and breakfast accommodation

Priority 1: Maintain minimal usage of out-of-borough emergency accommodation

Action

Output

Timescale

Lead Role

Partners

Resources

4.1 Manage RBBC’s local emergency accommodation facility to maximise occupation rates

 · Maintain a 95% occupancy rate in RBBC emergency accommodation

  • On-going
  • Housing Strategy & Projects Manager

N/A

  • Staff

4.2 Place households with high support needs in local emergency accommodation

  • Households working with Housing SupportCoordinator / Social Services / Mental Health Team / IAccess prioritised for borough placement
  • On-going
  • Housing Needs Manager

N/A

  • Staff

4.3 Move homeless households placed in out-of-borough EA back into the borough when availability arises

  • Households with need of local support networks prioritised
  • Households working with Housing Support Coordinator prioritised
  • On-going
  • Housing Needs Manager

N/A

  • Staff

4.4 Introduce an Out-of-borough placement policy

  • Policy published setting out how RBBC prioritise placement of homeless households in and out of borough.
  • Year 4

onwards

  • Housing Needs Manager

N/A

  • Staff