Purpose

Bristol City Council has been awarded £10.9m in grant funding from MHCLG to enhance homelessness supported accommodation across financial years 2026-29.

At Homes and Housing Delivery Committee on 18th September 2026 delegated authority was given “to the Executive Director for Housing in consultation with Chair of the Homes and Housing Delivery Committee to take all steps required to accept and spend the 26-29 funding, as outlined in the report, including procuring and awarding contracts (which may be over £500k) in line with the procurement routes and maximum budget envelopes set out in [the] report.”

This decision gives approval to use some of the above grant funding to vary existing Homelessness Supported Accommodation Pathway contracts. Existing contracts will be varied up to a total of £1,149,566 over financial years 26-27, 27-28 and 28-29. The purpose of the additional funding is to provide additional capacity for working with a greater level of need, to work in innovative ways and to increase throughput through Pathways.

Decision

Decision taken to use some of the Supported Housing grant funding to vary existing Homelessness Supported Accommodation Pathway contracts with St Mungo’s, Self Help Housing Association, Places for People, Next Link and Riverside.

Alternative options considered

1) Not spending grant funding – Rejected as the funding can be utilised to improve outcomes for people with experience of homelessness in Bristol. Any unspent grant funding will need to be returned to MHCLG.
2) Spending the grant funding on other options – Rejected as the above options (alongside multiple other options which are also being taken forward separately) were collated with input from providers across the sector and analysed by the Commissioning Team to ensure maximum impact.