Tackling the housing crisis
Supporting homeless people
Councils
Lewisham Council, Croydon Council
Lewisham Council has set up an employment project with its local Job Centre to support households who are at risk of homelessness or homeless already to find employment or training opportunities. So far 117 households have worked with the service: 16 clients are now in vocational or upskilling training to lead to employment, and 17 clients have moved into work. These households will also be supported to find stable and affordable accommodation where they feel safe, with households having a better opportunity to find a home that suits their needs due to their increased income.
To support residents in emergency accommodation, Croydon Council holds regular events to help people look at all aspects of finance and housing, including rent arrears, debt advice, income maximisation, budgeting, and the promotion of a range of housing options. These are regularly attended by over 50 residents who are classed as homeless and living in emergency accommodation. 185 residents have successfully found their own home of choice in areas they wanted, reducing the pressure on council run temporary accommodation.