Council to continue efforts keeping homeless people in Wolverhampton off the streets through new strategy

The council has said that rough sleeping figures are often in single digits on any one night in Wolverhampton, lower than many other parts of the country, with anyone found sleeping outside in the city offered long-term safe, suitable and sustainable accommodation.

Under a new five-year Homelessness Prevention strategy, the council said that it and its partners will continue to operate with the clear message that nobody needs to sleep on the streets or go hungry.

The strategy, approved by the council’s cabinet, highlights the importance of timely and accurate information, advice and assistance at an early stage to alleviate homelessness.

It also focuses on improving affordability and sustainment of tenancies in the private rented sector, alongside ensuring the provision of safe temporary places of shelter and long term suitable and affordable accommodation offers through City Housing.

The council’s partnership work has included the opening of Peter Bilson House, which provides 34 units of accommodation, including six accessible apartments, offering bespoke, multi-agency support for vulnerable people.

It has help 52 people who were, or who have a history of rough sleeping housed through the Housing First Model and the council’s migration team sourced more than 100 properties in the private sector to prevent homelessness to those households granted refugee status.

Councillor Steve Evans, Wolverhampton Council deputy leader and cabinet member for housing, said: “The root causes of homelessness are often connected to complex circumstances.

“No single organisation can tackle homelessness alone and Wolverhampton has already seen excellent outcomes so far from its partnership work and this will continue.

“In cases where someone is identified as sleeping rough in Wolverhampton, they will always be offered accommodation and support.

“Sometimes people refuse help or support for various reasons, but we will still work with anyone who is homeless through outreach support.”

Further information can be found at Homelessness | City Of Wolverhampton Council