Decision details

New Burdens Funding for Homelessness Reduction Act

Decision status: Recommendations Approved

Purpose:

The Council has received new burdens funding for the costs associated with the Homelessness Reduction Act from Governmentt. The report explains the purpose of the grant and sets out proposals to use the funding.

Decision:

That the new burdens funding is accepted.

Reasons for the decision:

The new burdens funding is made available to councils to allow them to provide adequate resources to implement the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017, and therefore to comply with their statutory duties. The required increase in staff resources, temporary accommodation, IT and administration needs to be funded to allow Housing Advice and Options to do this.

 

Allocating the new burdens funding to Housing Advice and Options will, in addition to allowing the council to comply with its legal obligations, allow Housing Advice and options to deliver a much more personalised service, with evolving personal housing plans a key component. It will also allow us to provide much improved homeless prevention and relief services to the public to retain current accommodation and find good, appropriate alternative accommodation where appropriate. As these principles are embedded into the heart of the service, it is intended that there will be a reduction in the revolving door of homelessness, and a consequent improvement in people’s lives.

Alternative options considered:

No other options have been considered as Housing Advice and options are the only team whose primary role it is to work within the legislation concerning homelessness. It is this team which will be delivering the service which implements the Homelessness Reduction Act, so it seems logical that this would be the team which receives the new burdens funding.

Publication date: 03/08/2018

Date of decision: 02/08/2018

Effective from: 10/08/2018

Accompanying Documents: