New homelessness strategy keeps rates lower than average
That's according to officials in South Oxfordshire and the Vale of White Horse
Homelessness in South Oxfordshire and the Vale of White Horse is being tackled with a new council strategy, aiming to break the cycle and support people before they lose their homes.
The councils say homelessness isn’t just sleeping rough – it can mean sofa surfing, living in insecure housing or escaping domestic abuse. Latest figures show they’ve kept rates low locally, with fewer people needing B&Bs and strong prevention rates compared to the rest of the South East. Homeless prevention rates are currently at 79% in South Oxfordshire and 70% in the Vale compared to 52% in the South East
The councils say spotting problems early and working closely with people is key to helping families and individuals find secure places to live.
Becky from Didcot was helped to find a home and said: “I just wanted to say again how thankful and grateful we are as a family to have had you as our housing officer at such a low point in my life. You were empathic, patient, warm and you made that really dark place a bit easier to cope with.”
M Hussain and family said: “I want to express my sincere gratitude for all the hard work and effort you and your entire team put into helping us find shelter. We truly appreciate your dedication and support during this difficult time.”
Cllr Maggie-Filipova-Rivers, Cabinet Member for Housing at South Oxfordshire District Council said: “We continually support many families and individuals who face multiple challenges and difficult circumstances in their lives to find sustainable, secure accommodation.
“This work also includes working closely with those who are most vulnerable to prevent homelessness at the earliest possible stage and reduce rough sleeping to the absolute minimum. Often multiple and complex health needs can lead to a risk of homelessness – and these difficulties, combined with limited access to support, can create and perpetuate a cycle of homelessness for those who are most vulnerable that is difficult to escape from.
“Our new strategy lays out the proactive steps we take to break the cycle of homelessness and ensure that the support people need is available and accessed quickly and effectively.
Cllr Andy Crawford, Cabinet Member for Housing at Vale of White Horse District Council said: “This strategy sets out a clear vision for how we will shape our services to better meet the needs of some of our most vulnerable residents.
“Our partnership approach to tackling homelessness and ending rough sleeping is essential. Strengthening close, collaborative working with our partners in health, criminal justice, the Department for Work and Pensions, social care services and local agencies will help those who have multiple and complex needs.
“Minimising the use of temporary accommodation, which can be disruptive to people’s lives, especially for children, is also an important part of our work to tackle homelessness.
“We continue to source long-term, affordable homes for people who are at risk of becoming homeless – helping to provide stability and security and reduce the need for temporary accommodation.”