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To approve the allocation of a
grant to the value of £42,300 to Excel Housing to deliver a
floating support service to households living in Cotswold House and
in other forms of temporary accommodation.
 
Reasons for recommendations

1.     
The recommendation supports the council’s
corporate priority ensure there is housing where residents can live
well. 

2.     
The Housing Strategy (2025 – 2030) includes a
commitment to develop “float-away” support to
households living in temporary accommodation to assist
residents’ transition positively into settled accommodation
to prevent future homelessness.
 
Other
options considered and rejected                   
To not use UKSPF Grant
to pilot the provision of support to households in temporary
accommodation.  This was rejected
because the Housing Strategy recognises that the support available
through existing council staff (in Housing Options team) to help
households move into permanent accommodation and to settle in their
new neighbourhoods is very limited due to the other casework
demands.  Households in temporary
accommodation are asked if they would like a referral to the
council’s Social Prescribing team, but this is often refused
because households want specialist housing support rather than
general emotional wellbeing support. 
Referrals to Social Prescribing team will still be accepted from
Excel Housing.