HOUSING teams in Carlisle have directly helped more than 1,000 families facing homelessness in the last 12 months.

The city authority has also provided 280 households with supported emergency accommodation in this time, including for vulnerable people made homeless through issues such as domestic violence, sexual abuse, exploitation and drugs.

The figures emerged as the Health and Wellbeing Scrutiny Panel received a report into the effect of the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017 – which includes a ‘public duty to refer’ – on the authority’s services.

Tammie Rhodes, the council’s homeless, prevention and accommodation services manager, delivered the presentation after the 12-month milestone in response to a request from councillors.

She told the panel that between October 2018 and September 30 this year, the council directly helped a total of 1,023 households – a figure that has remained “pretty consistent” for the last 15 years.

The raft of new legislation 2017 placed greater responsibility on local authorities nationwide to intervene at earlier stages to prevent homelessness.

Public bodies such as prisons and social services are now required to notify a housing authority – and assuming consent is given – within 56 days if they become aware that people are at risk of homelessness.

The report found that the experience following the roll-out of the new rules had been “largely positive” as the authority continues to help people at risk through early interventions.

The stats also revealed that 75 per cent of applicants self-refer or directly contact the council for assistance, and 280 households (27 per cent) were provided with supported emergency accommodation in the last 12 months, and for an average period of nine weeks.

The council also has 50 emergency temporary housing units with specialist support available including men-specific schemes, as well as secure housing intended for women and families which are staffed 24 hours a day.

The meeting heard that some of the accommodation available boasts “enhanced security” features.

However, in high-risk circumstances, the homelessness team will move someone out of the area for their own safety, with specialist officers that work specifically with priority cases.

Ms Rhodes also told panel members that the authority had “more dispersed” temporary accommodation including single flats and two and three-bedroom houses, catering to different needs and circumstances.

Of the 25 per cent assisted referrals received, the referring agencies were prisons, youth offending institutions, secure training centres, secure colleges and social services.

The council also received referrals from youth offending teams, probation services, Jobcentre Plus, emergency departments, urgent treatment centres and hospitals.

All applicants referred by agencies are contacted via telephone and offered appointments, but only 25 per cent of those contacted needed or took up the offer of help.

The `relief’ duty requires housing authorities to help people who are homeless and eligible, to secure accommodation with a reasonable prospect that it will be available for their occupation for at least six months

The number of referrals received each quarter has remained consistent, though the number of applicants taking up the offer of assistance has reduced each quarter within the 12 months.

The Department for Work and Pensions, and Prisons referred the most applicants, and these referrals prevented the most cases of homelessness.

People coming out of prison often experienced the greatest challenge finding somewhere to live.

The report concluded that the impact on service delivery of the new measures had so far “been minimal”, because the council’s team had been addressing issues and supporting households at the early intervention stage for many years.

The council is now looking at providing longer-term placements for people who have limited housing options or specialist housing needs, and also to those at risk of rough sleeping.