Homelessness shock as 1,000 seek help
SHOCK figures have revealed up to a thousand people a year are seeking help for homelessness issues as the Valley faces a ‘housing crisis’.
The numbers of people handled by Rossendale council’s housing options team were revealed at the overview and scrutiny meeting as part of a report by the drug and alcohol provision in Rossendale task and finish group.
The team offers advice to people who are homeless or under threat of homelessness.
The report stated: “The housing options team have approximately 8001,000 new cases each year and a number of these contacts are from people who have unaddressed drug and alcohol issues as well as applicants with many other complex needs.
“The issue of homelessness can well be a symptom of other main unaddressed problems such as drug or alcohol misuse.”
Rossendale council leader Alyson Barnes told the meeting that the figures would cover ‘a host of different issues’, not all related to rough sleeping.
However, after the meeting Alan Dorrington, project manager of Rawtenstall-based housing charity M3 Project, told the Free Press that the Valley’s homeless services are ‘submerged’ by requests for help.
He said: “We have a housing crisis in Rossendale, and that’s reflected in that the housing options team are inundated and are almost submerged by the number of people coming to them.
“It doesn’t mean that all those are strictly ‘homeless’ – often it would be people in arrears, or people whose landlords are evicting them.
“The waiting list for social housing is immense. The main issue that’s causing the increased amount is about welfare changing and about the inability of people to afford accommodation on an ongoing basis. I think we have a significant issue and I don’t think it’s going to ease over the next two to three years.”
Denis Skelton, co-ordinator at Petrus Community, which provides support for people in housing, has observed an increase in rough sleeping in some areas.
He said: “This is due to a number of factors including a lack of affordable suitable housing, diminishing support services which help individuals to secure and maintain housing, and benefit cuts.
“Petrus now operates an accommodation service in the Rossendale Valley which received 60 referrals during the last 12 months for people who were homeless or in housing crisis.
“We were able to offer accommodation to 47 of those referrals.
“We work closely with a range of local agencies and the council to find positive solutions for permanent housing for everyone who approaches us, including those we cannot directly accommodate.”
Rossendale council said the figures were the ‘general number’ of people who had contacted the council for housing advice and assistance.
A spokesperson said: “They are not all homeless. Our housing options team concentrate on preventing homelessness whenever possible.
“They also concentrate on identifying all issues that the member of public presents when asking for housing advice.
“Changes to welfare reform have impacted on the availability of accommodation within the private rented sector and not just social housing.”
‘The waiting list for social housing is immense’