CAMDEN COUNCIL HELPING TO REDUCE HOMELESSNESS

21 December 2005

Camden Council’s Executive Member for Housing, Cllr Julian Fulbrook, has welcomed new Government figures showing that the number of families and vulnerable people in Camden becoming homeless is continuing to fall. He said the figures showed that the work by the council’s Housing Options Group to prevent homelessness is working. The team prevents homelessness through advice and assistance to keep people in their own home or secure alternative accommodation.

The figures published by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) last week show that 207 households - including families, vulnerable single people and couples - were found to be homeless between July and September 2005, down 14 (6 per cent) on the same period in 2004 and down 197 (49 per cent) on 2003.

The council’s Housing Options Group provides advice and support to many different people to prevent them losing their home or find suitable alternative accommodation. This includes the Housing Advice Services, which sees over 10,000 Camden residents a year. Many people only need basic advice on how to find a home, but the service also works to prevent homelessness by liaising with landlords or helping people secure a home through its Rent Deposit Schemes. In the last year the services directly prevented 629 households from becoming homeless.

The council also supports council tenants and households in temporary accommodation through the Tenancy Support Service and Homeless Households Support Service. These provide a range of help, from assisting people claim benefits to providing emotional support.

Cllr Julian Fulbrook, said: “Homelessness can have a terrible impact on people’s lives. Losing a home can literally turn lives upside down. Where children and vulnerable people face homelessness it’s even more important we do what we can to help people find a home.”

“As a thriving inner London borough, there is a huge demand for housing in Camden. We can help people whose choices are limited simply because they can’t get the deposit on a rented flat. Through Camden Council’s rent deposit and guarantee schemes we can help those people get a decent private rented home, which otherwise they couldn’t have afforded.”

“In the long run, preventing homelessness will see fewer families and vulnerable single people living in temporary accommodation and I’m glad to say there are already signs that this is happening. No matter how good we make temporary accommodation for homeless people - whether it’s a hostel, bedsit, shared home or a flat of their own, it‘s still not a proper home.”

The work by Camden Council to prevent homelessness and offer people support to find alternative accommodation is also bringing other benefits. It is saving Council Tax payers money, with the new Housing Options Group having already brought savings of over £1.2 million for the council.

Cllr Fulbrook, added: “The council’s work to prevent homelessness doesn’t just make sense to people with housing problems, it also makes financial sense for the council. Saving money on the cost of temporary homes, the extra support homeless families and vulnerable people need.”

Case Studies
In 2004 Mr McManus was living in accommodation tied to his job, when his wife became pregnant. His home was only normally reserved for single people and he had to leave because of the child was on its way. Camden Council’s Housing Advice Service helped him find a private rented home and paid the deposit through the Rent Deposit Scheme.

This year, with the extra commitments of having another baby the McManus family felt they needed a little extra income and the council helped them reduce the rent by £20 per month. In the future the family hope to look at shared ownership when their income is high enough.

Case two
Mr Ali Mohamed and his seven-year-old son were renting a room in a very dilapidated private rented block in West Hampstead. His son was settled and happy in a local primary school. The landlord then sold the block and started to evict all the tenants. In August 2005 Ali Mohamed came to the Camden Council’s Housing Advice Service for help.

To keep Mr Mohamed’s son at his primary school we found a near-by two-bed home and helped him secure it through the Rent Deposit Scheme.

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