NEWS | Local people encouraged to help tackle homelessness

Local people are being encouraged to help tackle homelessness by taking part in Herefordshire Council’s Homelessness Prevention & Rough Sleeper Strategy consultation.

The council is updating its Homelessness Prevention & Rough Sleeper Strategy to take account of changes in government legislation and policy.

During 2018-2019, Herefordshire Council:

Assisted 1,121 households who were experiencing housing difficulties.
– Prevented 187 households from becoming homeless from their existing home.
– Helped to find alternative accommodation for 161 households before they became homeless.
– Accepted a full homeless duty to 48 households who would have been provided with temporary accommodation, pending rehousing, if needed.
– Provided outreach support to 92 rough sleepers and those at risk of rough sleeping.

Despite this, there is a lot of work still to do.

In the current environment of significantly reduced council budgets and increasing pressures on local services, joint action is vital. We need the views of local residents and businesses to assist us in planning the actions and resources necessary so that we can all work together to tackle homelessness and the damaging impact of its consequences.

Cllr Ange Tyler, Cabinet Member for Housing, Regulatory Services, and Community Safety, said:

“Although rough sleeping is the most visible and damaging form of homelessness, it is not the only one – homelessness also affects families with children, couples and single people, and can impact on everybody in society. It is vital that we address all types of homeless households and all forms of homelessness.

“The information you provide will be used to shape the council’s revised Homelessness Prevention and Rough Sleeping Strategy. Your views are extremely important, and I urge people to please help in the effort to tackle homelessness by completing our survey as soon as they can.”

All consultation responses must be completed and submitted by Monday 2nd September 2019.

For more information, and to take part in the survey, please visit herefordshire.gov.uk/homelessness-strategy-review