£623,831 to prevent homelessness in West Oxfordshire

Councillor Geoff Saul, Executive Member for Housing and Social Welfare said, “The threat of homelessness can affect every aspect of a person’s life. Without a stable home base, it can be a struggle to access services or find work, and the effect on well-being cannot be overstated.

“Last year, our housing team helped over 150 households that were threatened with homelessness to either stay in their homes or find an alternative home.  The housing team also arranged over 300 emergency or temporary accommodation placements across the district.

“We are committed to reducing homelessness from occurring at the earliest possible stage, reducing the need for expensive and unsuitable Bed & Breakfast use and providing our clients with the best possible outcome.”

When it is not possible to prevent a family from becoming homeless the Council ensures that they are only placed in Bed & Breakfast accommodation as a last resort, and spend the least amount of time there as possible.  The Council is committed to maintaining its record of no family being left in Bed & Breakfast for longer than 6 weeks.

The Council’s activities this year include providing assistance in addressing rent arrears, helping to source alternative accommodation and providing mediation to prevent homelessness from occurring.

We will also provide where-needed funding support for cash deposits, fees and payments of rent in advance, as well as payments to help households make their new accommodation liveable. We’ve ensured that we maintain critical roles to ensure that clients are fully supported and to manage funds so that they are targeted to those who need them most.

The Homelessness Prevention Grant is a grant from the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) and this allocation covers the next two financial years.

Find more information on how to contact the Council for homelessness support here: https://www.westoxon.gov.uk/housing/homelessness-support-and-advice/