Council helping to tackle homelessness on this World Homeless Day

Cheshire West and Chester Council is supporting World Homeless Day this Tuesday 10th October.

World Homeless Day aims to raise awareness about local homeless issues and provide opportunities for the community to get involved in responding to homelessness. It’s also a good day to celebrate and support the work that’s already happening locally.

Reducing homelessness and ending rough sleeping is a key priority of the Council. The Council’s vision is that all residents and organisations within Cheshire West and Chester work together to prevent homelessness and ensure that no one is forced to sleep rough in the borough.

The Council’s approach to homelessness includes:

• Prevention is better than cure - The Council’s primary aim is always to prevent homelessness and the sooner you call, the more likely the Council is to find a way to keep you in your home. The Housing Options team has multiple tools that they can use to assist you to resolve your situation.
• Help and Advice 24/7 - Sudden events, life changes or circumstances can lead to someone losing their home unexpectedly. Housing Options will work with anyone at risk of becoming homeless within the next 56 days with the aim of stopping each person from losing their home, giving advice on housing options and involving other agencies who can help. You can speak to Housing Options free on 0808 175 3595 Monday to Friday up until 4:30pm. If you are homeless out of normal office hours and you need accommodation, you can ring the Out of Hours number on 0300 123 7035.
• Dedicated Outreach Support Team - If you find yourself sleeping rough, or you believe someone is sleeping rough, the Council has an Outreach Support Team who will find you and talk to you about your situation. The forfutures Outreach Support Team is the first stage of support to help you resolve your homelessness as quickly as possible. Outreach can be contacted 24hrs a day / 7 days a week on 0808 175 3595 or by emailing outreachservices@forfutures.co.uk
• Partnership working with the third sector - On World Homeless Day the Housing team are working with Cheshire West Voluntary Action (CWVA) to deliver an online workshop for the third sector, community groups and local charities on how they can offer help and support to residents who are experiencing early indicators of potential homelessness. For more information on CWVA and their work please visit https://chesterva.org.uk
• Rough Sleeping and Homelessness Pledge - Residents, businesses and charities are being asked to sign up to play their part in tackling rough sleeping and homelessness in a new initiative being launched by Cheshire West and Chester Council. Signatories to the Pledge will agree to make a tangible contribution to reducing homelessness and rough sleeping through offering their support and undertaking a number of straightforward actions. Residents, charities and businesses can sign the pledge at Rough Sleeping and Homelessness Pledge | Cheshire West and Chester Council
• Supporting local charities - ‘End Homelessness in Chester’ is a collaborative project between Chester BID, Cheshire West and Chester Council, Chester Aid to the Homeless, Share, Soul Kitchen and The Chester Bluecoat Charity. The project encourages people to ‘tap to donate’ £3 to local homeless charities. It means that 100% of the money given goes to helping people in need of support. There are currently two fixed devices where you can donate in Chester Market and The Grosvenor Shopping Centre. For more information visit: https://chesterbid.co.uk/help-end-homelessness/ or you can donate directly to Chester Aid to the Homeless, Soul Kitchen or Share.
• Additional supported housing - The Council is currently having to use hotels and B&Bs for individuals and families who find themselves homeless. In response to this, the Council is developing more supported housing over the next few years. Supported housing schemes provide people with a safe place to stay while they are helped to find a new home. The support provided includes help with finding long term housing, employment, access to health and personal finance advice.

Cllr Christine Warner, Cabinet Member for Homes, Planning and Safer Communities, said:

“As a Council we believe that nobody in our borough should be forced to sleep rough and become homeless. We are very proud to work alongside a range of partners, including charities, housing associations and businesses as shown by the Rough Sleeping and Homelessness Pledge.

“A key responsibility of the Council is to provide accommodation for those who are forced into homelessness. However, providing accommodation is only one small part of the work that the Council does. In many cases, homelessness can be prevented by intervening early when people are at risk. This work is critical and can make all the difference.”

For more information, advice and support on homelessness or helping someone in need, please visit: 

https://www.cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk/residents/housing/housing-advice-and-homelessness/housing-advice-and-homelessness