Dorset Council's Tenancy Sustainment scheme aims to support those in temporary accommodation and entering the homelessness pathway.
Background
Tackling homelessness is a priority for central government, and homelessness and housing is one of the five corporate priorities at Dorset Council. Similar to local authorities across the country, Dorset Council faces some acute challenges in preventing and resolving homelessness in the community:
- 255 households in temporary accommodation
- Average caseload of a housing caseworker is 35
- Average waiting time for housing is 616 days
Dorset Council developed a new project – the Tenancy Sustainment scheme - to support those in temporary accommodation and entering the homelessness pathway. The council recognised the importance of acting proactively to support residents facing homelessness and offer preventative and holistic support to target associated needs like mental and physical health, education, employment and training and substance misuse. The Tenancy Sustainment scheme offers targeted support to people living in temporary accommodation to address these wider needs, in order to build individuals’ resilience, prevent recurring crises and improve their outcomes.
Aims of the Tenancy Sustainment scheme
- Identify and address any barriers in accessing support for people entering the homelessness pathway
- Empower residents to act autonomously to improve their own outcomes
- Enhance residents’ sense of self worth and improve their overall wellbeing
Setting up the project
Dorset’s Tenancy Sustainment scheme began with three full-time Tenancy Sustainment officers, and has now expanded to include three Landlord Liaison Officers to strengthen capacity for procurement and finding private rented accommodation. The average caseload of a Tenancy Sustainment officer is 28.
The scheme has since expanded further with one full-time Inclusion Tenancy Sustainment officer to provide wraparound support for vulnerable individuals with the most complex needs, and offer targeted support.
Dorset Council identified that the majority of residents facing homelessness had unmet needs in one or more of these five areas:
- Physical health
- Mental health
- Substance misuse
- Employment & training
- Social capital
The Inclusion Tenancy Sustainment officer works with individuals to identify their unmet needs in these areas and to provide targeted support. Support is varied and unique to each resident, but can include…
- Physical health – ‘swap to stop’, exercise referral, walking groups, healthy eating support
- Mental health – medication review, mentoring, workbooks, talking therapies, social prescribing
- Substance misuse – mutual aid, volunteering, support goals, 1-2-1 support
- Employment and training – CV and cover letter support, benefit advice, local connections
- Social capital – community groups, volunteering, building hobbies and interests
The Tenancy Sustainment scheme is a voluntary service, so it is not mandatory for residents to engage. Importantly, this is a relationship-based approach which puts relationship before risk. Building a trusting relationship between the Inclusion Tenancy Sustainment officer and the resident is essential to success. Due to barriers around transport in the rural area, it is important for Dorset Council to go to the client to deliver the face-to-face support, rather than expecting residents to come to them.
Outcomes
Case study: Resident A
Resident A was fleeing modern slavery and exploitation. They had limited social skills and a lack of social connections, poor literacy and digital skills, used substances and were reliant on food banks. They also had very poor mental health and had made suicide attempts.
The Inclusion Tenancy Support Officer had introductory face-to-face meetings with Resident A in their temporary accommodation and began to build a relationship. The TSO carried out an initial holistic review of support needs. To respond to immediate financial pressures, the council provided vouchers for the resident to cover basic needs.
The TSO then worked with Resident A on an ongoing basis to link them into broader support, including:
- Medication review by GP
- Access to Talking Therapies (Dorset’s Access Wellbeing Network)
- Benefit advice and support
- Right to Choose ADHD assessment
- Substance misuse support (recognising that Resident A was self medicating for ADHD)
- Andy’s Man Club mutual aid group
- Swap to Stop vape scheme
- Volunteering at the church
The TSO also supported Resident A in rebuilding their family connections.
Resident A is now leaving temporary accommodation with improved mental health, no food bank reliance, increased affordability, a diagnosis of ADHD, no substance misuse and more resilient with coping skills, including budgeting skills and increased social connection.
Over the past four months, Dorset Council has seen tangible impact for vulnerable residents in temporary accommodation supported by the Inclusion Tenancy Sustainment Officer:
- Three people have moved into full‑time employment, one has returned to work and one has had five interviews
- One rough sleeper supported into supported accommodation
- Eight residents accessing Swap to Stop (with a combined saving of £690 a month)
- Overall, residents engaging with the scheme have seen an improvement of 45 per cent in mental health (using the PH GAD measure for anxiety and depression)
Key takeaways
- Relationship building is key to success – sometimes the Inclusion Tenancy Support Officer spends weeks building relationships before beginning to suggest types of support and making referrals.
- Going to residents, rather than asking them to come to you, is essential to mitigate barriers around accessibility, especially in rural areas.