Government funding used to provide Calderdale flats to help prevent homelessness

The £404,846 Homelesness Prevention Grant, which includes a £16,438 element to help those who have been forced into homelessness because of domestic abuse, has been awarded to Calderdale Council from £316 million made available by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities in the days leading up to Christmas.

The units form a part of a strategy approved by the council and partner organisations to improve the situation for homeless people, offering a coordinated response to meet needs which are often complex and which have been inadequately tackled in the past.

The council’s Cabinet member for Climate Change and Resilience, which includes the housing brief, Coun Scott Patient (Lab, Luddenden Foot), said the support would help make the necessary changes happen.

“We understand the impact that rough sleeping and homelessness can have on individuals , families and communities.

“Everyone affected has their own story, and the circumstances can be very complex and distressing.

“We do all we can, working with local partner organisations, to offer people hope and a stronger future through support, advice and accommodation.

“We have made significant progress, and every step we’ve taken has brought hope to those living street-based lifestyles, helping them to rebuild their lives.

“We know there is still more to do, and the financial support from the Government helps us to make this happen,” he said.

Calderdale’s homelessness strategy has been developed against a backdrop of a damning report into the deaths of five homeless Calderdale men who died within four months over the winter of 2018-19.

The Burnt Bridges report shocked and angered councillors when it was released a year ago and it highlighted the need for partners, including health services and housing organisations, to work much more closely together.

When Calderdale’s Health and Well being Board discussed the borough’s new detailed strategy in the autumn they heard how a more holistic approach was being taken.

Members heard actions were being taken which sought to improve prevention, intervention and recovery.

They people who became homeless often had complex needs and a key consideration was trauma which had frequently been shown to have affected their lives.

In all more than 40 separate actions are being developed jointly by agencies to bring improvements to the lives of people who have become homeless, board members heard.

* Support your Halifax Courier by becoming a digital subscriber. You will see 70 per cent fewer ads on stories, meaning faster load times and an overall enhanced user experience. Click here to subscribe