Homeless budget to be cut by £1.8m

County to reduce support for people with 'less critical' needs

HAMPSHIRE County Council is proposing to make changes to homelessness support services in a bid to save £1.8m.

The recommendations put forward by the authority’s adult social care service followed an eight-week public consultation.

The consultation asked Hampshire residents and local community organisations for their views on proposals to move away from providing help for those with less critical needs, and to focus support on the most vulnerable – which would include 24/7 supported accommodation to meet the needs of people who are sleeping rough, or at risk of sleeping rough.

The council’s executive member for adult social care and health, Liz Fairhurst, said: “The recommendations I am due to consider, are being presented against the backdrop of unprecedented financial challenges.

“The county council must meet a funding shortfall of £140m by April 2019, £56m of which needs to come from the adult social care budget.

“While, I am mindful that savings of this scale mean that the county council must challenge the way it currently provides services and look at different ways to meet people’s needs, I will wish to ensure I have considered the findings from the public consultation in full, along with any recommendations from the HASC, before making a final decision on the future of the services.”

The proposed recommendations include:

• Continuing support for people sleeping rough or at risk of sleeping rough either through intensive 24/7 supported accommodation and night shelter services.
• Continuing funding for some lower level supported housing in Hampshire districts that do not have intensive 24/7 services with a view to working with districts to develop these services to ensure that they are able to support people with more complex needs.
• Continuing funding for community support for people who are moving on from intensive 24/7 services or those who are living in ‘moving on’ supported housing
• Reducing the support for people with less critical needs. They will be advised on other organisations that could provide support.

Overall the recommendations would achieve savings of £1.8m while a continued investment of £2.4m would maintain services that provide support for the most vulnerable homeless people.