It is a common misperception that an individual rehoused in the private rented sector (PRS) will not receive any support. The truth is that, although it does need to be put in place, there is no reason why someone who needs the support should not be able to receive some level of support, pre and/or post-tenancy.
While many people who are homeless will have no need for support, beyond initial help to get a tenancy (for example through a
Rent Deposit Scheme or a social lettings scheme), there are many others who will require much greater support. This might range from some pre-tenancy training for those who have never had their own tenancy, (or for whom it’s been many years since they’ve had a tenancy), to ongoing support post-tenancy for those who might need day to day help in maintaining their tenancy.
Broadway run a resettlement project called
It’s Your Move. It provides coaching, training and a range of resources to other homelessness agencies, so that they can provide effective pre-tenancy training to their clients. We are working with Broadway to broaden the scope of It’s Your Move training so that it covers issues that relate specifically to resettlement in the PRS.
We are also working with
Mosaic Training, who have taken over the coordination of the London Resettlement Forum from Broadway, to deliver a workshop on the effective use of the PRS. It is aimed at resettlement workers, or any staff involved in the resettlement process, to help them provide more effective support to their clients to move into and sustain PRS tenancies.
Supporting People is a Government programme, coordinated by Communities and Local Government, which provides housing-related support to a wide range of vulnerable individuals, including formerly homeless people. It funds a network of Floating Support teams, who can work with people who have been rehoused in the PRS.