Million pound boost to extend homelessness help to thousands
A cash injection of £1.2 million will help thousands of vulnerable people into the rented homes they need, Mark Prisk said today.
Visiting the London Crisis Skylight Centre, the minister said the cash will extend the charity’s work through the Crisis Private Rented Sector Access Development Programme to provide housing help for single people at risk of homelessness, who are unable to find private accommodation on their own.
Mark Prisk speaks to Steve Grant at Crisis Skylight to hear the problems faced by single homeless people
Helping vulnerable people into rental homes
The Private Rented Sector Access Scheme, run by Crisis with government support, has helped nearly 4,000 people find the rented homes they need in the last 2 years.
Already established in 120 areas across England, the scheme offers single people the advice and support they need to find and sustain a private rented tenancy, helping them overcome hurdles like budgeting and paying a deposit and working with local landlords to ensure the homes provided are suitable, safe and secure.
Today’s £1.2 million cash injection will extend the programme, creating a further 23 local schemes. By focussing on helping those most at risk of homelessness, including young people, it aims to help a further 1,300 people in the next year.
Housing Minister Mark Prisk said:
“This government has a strong safety net in place to prevent homelessness and Crisis’s programme has been a vital part of this, helping nearly 4,000 vulnerable people in just two years.
“That’s why today I’m providing 1.2 million to extend that support even further. With another 23 areas on board, the scheme is set to help many more single people at risk of homelessness to find and keep the long-term home they need, providing the safety and security to get their lives back on track.”
Leslie Morphy, chief executive of Crisis, said:
“To have already helped 4,000 homeless people into decent homes is an incredible achievement for the Private Rented Sector Access Development Programme and the local organisations working hard to support tenants and landlords. Challenging conditions in the private rented sector make this work difficult but all the more important as people struggle to make ends meet.
“Today’s announcement of funding is for a further 23 schemes that will focus on helping particularly vulnerable people with no home of their own including young people and those leaving prison - groups that too often struggle to find a home and have often not been a priority for assistance through other schemes and programmes.”
Further information
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The department has provided £10.8 million to Crisis to run the private rented sector scheme. The £1.2 million funding announced today is part of that investment.
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Organisations that will help deliver the extended programme include:
- Homeless Action Resource Project (HARP), Southend on Sea
- St Giles Trust, London
- Broadway, London
- Hope Worldwide (HWW), London
- CAYSH, London
- St Mungo Community Housing Association Ltd, London
- DePaul UK, North Tyneside
- Stockton & District Advice & Information Service, Stockton on Tees
- Aquila Way, Gateshead
- Foundation, Hyndburn
- Crewe YMCA, Crewe
- Real Lettings South, Portsmouth and Southampton
- Society of St James, Hampshire
- Southdown Housing Association, West Sussex
- Leatherhead Start, Mole Valley and Epsom and Ewell
- Next Steps, Tandridge
- Shelter The National Campaign for Homeless People Limited, Cornwall
- Threshold Housing Link, Swindon
- 1625 Independent People, Bristol
- Encompass, Torridge
- SIFA Fireside, Sandwell
- Foundation, Hambleton
- Fusion Housing, Kirklees
- Photos of the visit to the London Crisis Skylight Centre are available from the DCLG Flickr channel.