News

2 Mar 2012

HOMELESSNESS PREVENTION SERVICE LAUNCHES TO PUBLIC IN YORK

The Homelessness Prevention Service provides practical help to people who face losing their home through financial or housing related difficulties.

Guests at the event included City of York Council, North Yorkshire Credit Union, the Illegal Money Lending Team, law students, and recruitment consultants Synergy, who are working in partnership with the Association to provide customers with job skills training. Several customers of YHA's range of support services also attended.

The service is being run on behalf of York City Council by York Housing Association and Wednesday's event gave people an opportunity to talk face to face with staff and gain information on how to resolve a range of problems.

The service is available to people in private rented housing, social housing, leaseholders as well as people with a mortgage.

Homelessness in York has increased by 40 per cent according to figures released by the Local Government Association.

Last year City of York Council dealt with 183 cases of homelessness - an increase of 53 on the previous year.

York Housing Association staff will visit people in their own homes to identify what support they need to prevent them becoming homeless and plan how the service can support them to achieve this. 

Support Workers will also be able to draw in support from a range of specialist agencies where this is needed. 

Kate Spencer, Operations Director at York Housing Association, said: "Our team will be providing people with free support on a range of issues including helping to resolve financial problems, dealing with mortgage and rent arrears, maximising benefits and even help with finding employment."

If you would like to refer yourself or someone you know to the Homelessness Prevention Scheme, you can contact Cathy Foot for a chat on 01904 540171. Referrals are made through City of York Council's Single Access Point, on 01904 554095.