Wealden receives £555K to help prevent homelessness

The government has allocated £555,000 to support vulnerable families and people at risk of sleeping rough across Wealden.

The money is part of a government package which will also help tackle homelessness and provide temporary accommodation for victims of domestic abuse and their children.

The government has allocated councils across the country money from the Homelessness Prevention Grant to provide vital support to those who need it the most in their local area over the next two years.
 
The money will be used to provide temporary accommodation for families, help individuals at risk of becoming homeless pay deposits for new homes and mediate with landlords to avoid evictions.

Some of the funding will help councils support homeless domestic abuse victims, ensuring no one has to stay with their abuser for fear of not having a roof over their head.

Councils can use the money flexibly based on their knowledge of the local area and the local housing market. Many councils use the funding to offer mediation services for landlords and tenants to prevent evictions or implement special programmes to identify root causes of homelessness.

Councillor Ray Cade, Wealden council’s portfolio holder for Housing, welcomed the announcement.
He said, “Homelessness is something that can affect anyone from all walks of life and at any time, especially during these times when many households are struggling with everyday cost of living pressures.

“This funding will allow us to continue to directly protect vulnerable people including families at risk of homelessness and give support to households who need it the most.”