Association pledges to help needy
A HOUSING association with properties in Halton has pledged to support a national campaign aimed at stopping homelessness.
Plus Dane Housing has signed up to the Commitment To Refer initiative, which requires Plus Dane to refer any tenant facing homelessness to a local authority.
The scheme has been developed by the National Housing Federation in conjunction with the Ministry For Housing, Communities And Local Government, and Plus Dane is urging other housing associations to sign up to it.
As part of the Homelessness Reduction Act, public bodies are bound by a duty to refer, which obliges them to refer anyone to a local authority if they are homeless or threatened with homelessness.
Housing associations are not bound by this, but the National Housing Federation has developed the Commitment To Refer to encourage them to take a similar approach.
According to latest figures, there were four rough sleepers in Halton in 2017-18 – ● up from none in 2012 – and 37 households classed as homeless, but figures are yet to be published showing the number of residents in temporary accommodation.
Barbara Spicer, Plus Dane Housing chief executive, said: “Homelessness is an issue that we as an organisation care deeply about.
“Whilst we would always explore every possible solution to avoid one of our tenants becoming homeless, making a commitment to refer any individual who is threatened with homelessness to the local authority is the right thing to do.
“We would urge all other housing organisations in the region to make the same commitment.”
Ciaran Tully, National Housing Federation external affairs manager, said: “It is so important that housing associations like Plus Dane Housing sign up to the Commitment To Refer.
“The North West of England has seen a drastic rise in homelessness in the last three years alone, 130% according to the latest Homeless Link figures.
“By signing up Plus Dane join over 200 other housing associations across the country in making a public statement about how serious and committed they are to halting homelessness.”