Decision

To accept year 2, tranche 1 of DLUHC grant funding of £25,000 in 2024/25 to continue to enable sustainable rehousing options and solutions within the Private Rented Sector in the locality area of Carlisle, for ex-offenders who meet the eligibility criteria of the programme.

Reasons for the decision

The Accommodation for Ex-Offenders (AfEO) project was first introduced in July 2021 to support homeless prison leavers to access the private rented sector, reducing the chances of this cohort rough sleeping and reoffending. This new funding from 2023-2025 is intended to build on the progress already made, with the ambition of supporting ex-offenders into sustainable accommodation with a reasonable expected tenancy length of 12 months wherever possible.

Carlisle City Council (now Cumberland Council) was successfully awarded £100,000 over two years to support this locality-based project; supporting 60 clients into sustainable tenancies / rehousing options by the end of March 2025.

Additionally, the project will:

1.       Reduce the number of homeless prison leavers sleeping rough on release

2.       For prison leavers owed a homelessness duty, increase the proportion that secure a PRS tenancy as their outcome, with every individual being in settled accommodation with a minimum expected tenancy length of 12 months

3.       Increase in the number of offenders that are in settled accommodation 3-months post release

Alternative options considered

Risks

There is a risk the Council is unable to meet externally funded project targets in relation to AfEO, homelessness and rough sleeping as per the MOU agreement.