Millions of pounds are to be made available to tackle homelessness across Liverpool City Region subject to Government approval.
The combined authority will accept grants from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) of almost £9m to continue two major projects in a bid to prevent rough sleeping and homelessness across the six council areas. When the authority meets on Friday, it is expected to approve receipt of £8.8m from DLUHC including £5.9m to continue the existing Housing First Programme to March 2024, and a further £2.5m through the Rough Sleeping Initiative (RSI) Fund to continue the scheme until March 2025.
The funding request for the two-year period is £5.9m to continue the Housing First delivery at its current levels with some additional resources requested for peer mentors and combined mental health and substance misuse support. A further £627,000 will be received through the Rough Sleeping Initiative 5 programme and half a million will be allocated to commission the delivery of the service in Halton, Knowsley and St Helens.
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According to a report to the combined authority, the Housing First Pilot has been delivered since August 2019 as one of three national pilots funded by DLUHC and supports 216 people who have complex needs and entrenched patterns of rough sleeping or homelessness. More than 160 individuals have been housed since the programme started but the current funding is due to end in August 2022.
Earlier this year, the combined authority approved capital investment in a social investment company, Resonance, to purchase a minimum of 60 properties across the City Region for people who are homeless or rough sleeping. The report said: “A review of the most effective way to deliver support to individuals with complex needs who will be occupying those properties to ensure long-term personal outcomes and tenancy sustainability was undertaken.
“Approval to commence a procurement exercise for an external service to deliver the support is requested.” The support will be delivered on a ratio of one staff member to six individuals to ensure “intensive, consistent support” which will help them to settle into communities and eliminate repeat periods of homelessness or rough sleeping.
The plan will be discussed when the combined authority meets on Friday at Mann Island.
