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Recognition for stopping people falling into homelessness during the pandemic

Recognition for stopping people falling into homelessness during the pandemic

We've been shortlisted for the UK Housing Awards (25 November) in the Homelessness Partnership of the Year category. It’s for emergency housing efforts led by our Homefinder Services, which allocates housing and provides tenancy advice.

This recognition reflects how quickly the Homefinder team, and our technical staff who make empty properties ready for new tenants, overcame the challenges arising from the pandemic and lockdown to make sure those in crisis or at risk of homelessness had a home that was safe, warm and comfortable.

It also highlights the wider team effort involved. Many of our teams including tenancy sustainment and support, revenue services and community investment, worked together to protect those most at risk. And we partnered with Bolton Council’s temporary accommodation team, Urban Outreach, Bolton Community Transport and Furniture Services, Eckersley’s removals and others, to develop specific support packages for those desperately needing emergency housing during the pandemic. 

This coordinated effort ensured homes that became available were ready to move into quickly and enabled the Homefinder team to provide a place to live for 73 individuals or families needing an urgent move between 23 March and 4 December.

In the same period we allocated 945 homes overall, helping hundreds of people who were previously living in temporary, unsuitable, or overcrowded accommodation.

Thank you to all involved.

Craig Hardman, our Head of Homefinder Services, said: “We all know what a tough time that period of last year was for people from all walks of life, and it was especially challenging for people whose individual circumstances put them more at risk of finding themselves without a home.

“People have worked tirelessly to help those in desperate need during the pandemic. We’re very proud of all our colleagues and organisational partners who’ve pulled together to give people a secure place to live that was furnished and ready to move into.”

We’re also shortlisted in this UK Housing Award category alongside Greater Manchester Housing First (GMHF), a three-year pilot project that we support to secure homes for people sleeping rough or at risk of being homeless.

Launched in April 2019, GMHF has permanently rehoused 275 people across the region’s ten boroughs so far.