Purpose

The Homefinder scheme provides financial assistance to prevent and relieve homelessness. The scheme awards interest free loans and grants to help with rents and deposits for households seeking to access or maintain private rented housing. The scheme is administered with a partner organisation, The Great Western Credit Union.

The policy has been updated to allow for the increased costs and demands to access private rented housing. It is also now offers assistance to Ukrainian Households seeking private rented housing and assistance to applicants in social housing looking to downsize, freeing up larger accommodation for homeless families.

The policy contributes to the reduction in the use of temporary accommodation by preventing households become homeless.

Decision

To update the Homefinder Policy

Alternative options considered

Option 1 - Not updating this policy.

This will reduce the number of households for whom we can prevent or relieve their homelessness due to market pressures on housing costs.

Option 2 - Updating the policy.

This enables us to help more applicants in housing need, to reduce homelessness and the pressure this causes on families. It will also help to reduce the expensive cost of Temporary Accommodation to this authority.