Addressing homelessness
How we’re tackling and preventing homelessness
For the past year, our Homefinder Services have handled the pandemic's aftereffects. The pandemic led to a lack of rental properties across the country. This was largely because of the pandemic's effects on resource availability and constraints for workers.
Despite challenges, significant progress has been made to meet the housing needs of our customers and applicants, many of whom have been in urgent housing need.
Meeting the challenges
Most of our allocations continue to take place through the Homes for Bolton choice-based lettings system or other similar letting systems for homes located in other boroughs.
In 2022/23 we rehoused 303 households with high priority need and considered homeless, for example, those living in some form of temporary accommodation, ‘sofa surfing’, or about to become homeless due to having their tenancy ended by another landlord.
Additionally, we found settled accommodation for a further 129 households through our management move/let route, which has come under further demand due to increased requests for moves related to our proactive work to address damp and mould issues.
During this time, we worked with Bolton Council and agreed to re-house a further 27 households living in temporary accommodation via direct nomination, therefore releasing much needed beds for other households.
Partnerships in action
Through continued partnership work with Bolton Council, Backup, Benjamin Court, Fortalice, Urban Outreach, Greater Manchester Police, Achieve, the NHS, and other professional agencies, many households have been given the opportunity to move into long-term settled accommodation with Bolton at Home. They’ve also received appropriate support from either our dedicated Tenancy Support Service or services such as the Brighter Outcomes Teams.
Despite ever-present challenges, we’re confident that we’ll continue to make further progress in reducing housing pressures in Bolton, assisted by the development of our new build activity and creating independent, sustainable communities.
If you’re currently homeless or need housing advice, please speak with Bolton Council’s Housing Options in the first instance on 01204 335900.
households rehoused
homeless high needs
urgent management moves
new build homes (89 in borough, 22 out of borough)
direct nominations
mutual exchanges