New strategy outlines plan to tackle homelessness in Telford and Wrekin

The Telford and Wrekin Homelessness and Rough Sleeping document was approved at the council’s cabinet meeting yesterday.

It highlights how the council will continue to work with key partner organisations, making sure people have a roof over their head and a safe place to live. 

Telford & Wrekin Council has worked closely with partners to review all forms of homelessness in the area to produce the strategy which is an integral part of the council’s wider commitment to protect, care and invest to create a better borough.

The Homelessness Act 2002 requires all housing authorities to produce a cross service homelessness strategy which must be renewed at least every five years showing how homelessness will be prevented and addressed. 

Through a local Rough Sleeping Taskforce with partners Maninplace, Kip@Maninplace, STAY Telford, MPFT, STARS, ABT, Orsa, TACT, Telford & Wrekin Council provides support and offers emergency accommodation to those rough sleeping or facing rough sleeping. 

In the past year, around 3000 households across Telford and Wrekin have approached the council for advice and support to prevent them becoming homeless and this number has increased year after year.

The strategy has been drawn from evidence which looks at patterns and trends in homelessness, the personal and structural factors that lead to people becoming homeless, and the effectiveness of different interventions in preventing homelessness. 

It is also based on the lived experience of clients who have found themselves homeless for whatever reason which could include relationship breakdowns, family eviction or a loss of private and rented accommodation.

The strategy sets out four key priorities to address homelessness and rough sleeping in the borough.

They include Prevention through Early Intervention, Accommodation to Support and Empower, Addressing Rough Sleeping and Collaboration - delivering services that are responsive and targeted.

The strategy also highlights the good work undertaken to tackle homelessness across the borough. 

Since March 2020, the council has housed over 520 people who were previously rough sleeping and has worked with a further 474 to prevent them rough sleeping.

In 2021 the council advised over 2900 clients and provided 880 with further support including individuals, couples and families who are homeless or would have become homeless within 56 days.

Rough sleepers have been helped through a series of innovative projects which have been rolled out across the borough including the Next Steps and Rough Sleeper Accommodation programmes.

The Next Steps and Rough Sleeper Accommodation Programmes have enabled the council to purchase 23 empty or disused properties to provide personalised supported accommodation for clients who have experienced rough sleeping and are ready to commit to a tenancy agreement. 

Cllr Paul Watling (Lab), Telford & Wrekin Council’s Cabinet Member for Safer and Stronger Communities, said:

“This housing strategy recognises that a decent place to live in Telford and Wrekin is the foundation on which people build their lives and, together with our partners across the borough, we are committed to providing homes which support and empower our most vulnerable people.

“It is integral to the council plan which highlights housing as a key priority, and our commitment to ‘protect, care and invest to create a better borough.

“We have made giant strides to tackle homelessness but we recognise there is much more to do to ensure that everyone has a roof over their heads, something which most of us take for granted.

“This Telford and Wrekin strategy builds on the innovation of a council which is willing to try new solutions, strong partnership working across the statutory and voluntary sectors and a service which is already delivering good outcomes for many customers.”