Decision details

The Cabinet Member is recommended to:

1.     Approve an extension to the grant funding for Housing Related Support in relation to supported accommodation for homeless households, funded through the Housing Related Support Programme, to the following grant recipients for the period 1January 2024 to 31 March 2024:

·       Longhurst Group (formerly Axiom Housing Association) – Hostel accommodation and drop-in services - £141,907.50

·       Cambridgeshire & Peterborough YMCA – hostel accommodation - £66,953.40

·       Futures Housing Group – hostel accommodation - £15,547.32

2.     Authorise entering into a grant agreement between the Council and recipients of grant funding for the period 1 January 2024 to 31 March 2024.

The focus of the Housing Related Support programme is now on the prevention of homelessness. It includes the provision of homeless hostels, floating outreach support and drop-in services to vulnerable groups such as young people at risk, offenders or people at risk of offending, young parents, victims of domestic abuse, single homeless and homeless families, people with mental health illness, those who are chronically excluded and people with learning disabilities. The grant funding contributes towards the cost of support staff providing Housing Related Support at supported accommodation for homeless households.

Subject to the recommendations of this decision notice being agreed, the grant recipients that will receive Housing Related Support grants are:

Longhurst Group (formerly Axiom Housing Association) – Peterborough Foyer, New Haven and Fair View Court hostels housing 97 people and providing drop-in services for young people, young people at risk, young parents, individuals who are under licence with the probation service and refugees.

Futures Housing Group - Mayors Walk Hostel and move-on flats supporting 26 people with medium support needs.

Cambridgeshire & Peterborough YMCA – The Cresset Hostel for 82 single homeless people with medium/low support needs and Time Stop for 22 young single homeless people with high support needs.

A review of Housing Related Support across Peterborough and Cambridgeshire was completed in 2018. The removal of ring-fenced funding and ongoing financial pressures resulted in a reduction of funding allocated to the programme. With the recent challenges brought about by the cost-of-living challenges and increases in homelessness, especially from single applicants, there was a need to review this provision once again. It was the council’s intention to undertake a competitive procurement exercise during 2022/23 to commission and award long term contracts which would facilitate more stability for planning and re-modelling purposes and to introduce robust performance monitoring on the delivery of Housing Related Support in relation to supported accommodation for homeless households. Following the council undertaking financial resilience work and contracts review, the procurement process planned for 2023/24 has been deferred. In order to maintain funding for a further period, contracts need to be extended from 1^st January 2024 to 31^st March 2024.

The recommendations in this report will ensure continuity of Housing Related Support up to end of March 2024 and ongoing provision of supported accommodation for homeless households whilst the long-term solutions are implemented.

Housing Related Support is provided for vulnerable people, often with complex support needs either in an accommodation-based setting, through drop-in support or through floating support provided by outreach workers. Our evidence shows that the Housing Related Support provided through the homeless hostels plays a significant role in helping to reduce homelessness in the city. Drop-in and floating support reaches hard to engage groups, assisting people with complex and entrenched needs, often living chaotic lifestyles.

The Homelessness Act 2002 sets out the Council’s powers to meet the aims of the act and its duties towards homeless people.

Cut funding completely and stop the Housing Related Support funding to grant recipients. This was rejected due to the adverse impact on the provision of hostel accommodation and homeless prevention and the unavoidable consequence of increase in Temporary Accommodation and overuse of Bed and Breakfast provision.

None.

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