What are Homelessness Services?

The service is here to help homeless people; this can be single people, single parent families, and couples with or without children, all who have faced the difficulties of homelessness. We are a dedicated team who provides temporary accommodation and support to help you through homelessness. We offer free help, guidance and advice such as:

• Advise you on claiming welfare benefits
• Help in sorting out debt problems and budgeting
• Support and encourage you in career choices and gaining qualifications (e.g. keeping you up to date with where and what courses are available, help you with forms, and CV’s, by accompanying you to appointments)
• Keep you motivated and involved in decision making
• Contact other services/ agencies on your behalf

Who can apply?

Our Homelessness Service is for homeless people aged 16 years + who need support and accommodation. Applications from people aged 16 to 17 may be considered where they have a trustee to act as a guarantor.

Applications for Homeless Services can come to us via either direct applications or referrals from other agencies. To make an application or referral, please complete and return the application form.

What happens next?

When we have received your referral form, we will arrange to visit you and together fill in a needs assessment. This will help us look at what support you need and will determine how that can be best provided. If you need help in putting your point of view across, you can ask a friend or relative to be with you. If after this discussion, you feel Homelessness Services would be of benefit to you, your application will be placed on our waiting list. If for some reason we are unable to help you, we will explain to you why and how you can appeal against this decision.

You are offered a flat - What next?

You will have the opportunity to view the flat before deciding to accept it or not. Once you accept it an appointment for signing the Tenancy Agreement will be made. You will be asked to:

• Thoroughly read your Tenancy Agreement
• Sign this agreement
• Provide next of kin details
• Complete housing benefit forms if appropriate
• Provide ALL necessary proofs of ID to support your claim
• Pay 1 week rent in advance if not claiming full housing benefit
• A date will be agreed for you to collect the keys.

Moving in to your new home

Our accommodation is furnished to a high standard with cookers, fridges and laundry facilities as well as carpeted throughout. However there are some basic items, which you will need to bring with you.

• Food
• Bedding
• Crockery, cutlery and cooking utensils
• Towels
• Toiletries
• Cleaning materials
• Replacement light bulbs (60 watt only)

Your flat will be cleaned before you move in, after which it is your responsibility to maintain.

There is a weekly rental charge plus a service charge, which covers heating, hot water, lighting and water rates. We will tell you what you will be expected to pay. You will be given a payment card, which can be used at any post office and retail outlets with Pay point facilities.

Homeless Services Team

The Homeless Services team gives tenants advice and assistance to help them live independently. They are in contact through home visits. These will normally be on a weekly basis and last for about an hour; but these times do vary according to people’s individual need. These appointments are to help you work through the difficulties you face and plan how to tackle these. Staff also run group activities for everyone living at the project. Any information that you provide to the team will be treated with the strictest confidence and will only be passed on to your GP, family, Social Services or other emergency services, with your agreement. They will discuss this with you when you move in to your new home. The team is available Monday to Friday from 8.45am to 5.00pm, although these times may vary dependent on service requirements. The support staff are here to offer help and advice in any situation – you don’t need to wait for an emergency. If they are unable to help you, they will be able to refer you to someone who can. The team is also responsible for the scheme as a whole, including communal facilities and making sure that fire and safety regulations are observed.

Please note that Support staff do not:

• Give medicines to tenants. A doctor, nurse or relative must do this.
• Pay bills, or deal with any other personal finance for tenants.
• Provide domestic or personal care services, such as preparing meals or assisting with bathing or do your shopping for you
• Provide 24-hour assistance
• Provide you with lifts to appointments

How long can I stay?

The minimum stay is for 6 months and a maximum stay of 2 years. This will allow us time to work together and help you through the crisis of becoming homeless. After this time we will help you to find secure accommodation. Homelessness Services is a specialised service that equips people with the skills and abilities to successfully move on to manage their own successful, independent tenancies in the future. You will be expected to work with the team and make use of the support that is available, if not the place will be offered to someone else on from our waiting list and you be asked to leave the scheme.

Equal opportunities

Tamworth Borough Council has a policy of equal opportunities in employment and services provided. We want to make sure that we treat everyone fairly according to his or her needs and not discriminate against you on the basis of age, gender, race, colour, ethnic or national origin, disability or sexual orientation. We will resist and challenge racist and sexist comments or any other offensive comments or abuse or threatening behaviour.