Oxford City Council is set to agree a £1.65m grant budget to help prevent rough sleeping and single homelessness.
At its next meeting on 13 March, cabinet is expected to approve a £1,654,429 investment in preventing homelessness grants supporting the Oxfordshire Homelessness Alliance and other services within Oxford itself.
The council’s annual committment to Oxfordshire Homeless Alliance is £1,911,399. This includes £968,580 in preventing homelessness grants, with the remainder coming through government Rough Sleeper Initiative funding.
The Alliance provides 233 beds across Oxfordshire. These are available to anyone experiencing or at risk of experiencing rough sleeping in Oxford. The council also directly commissions another 180 beds - including 35 Housing First homes – meaning over 400 beds are available in total.
Supported accommodation (£1,280,000)
In addition to the £968,580 contribution to the Oxfordshire Homeless Alliance, the council will make a grant of £281,750 for supported accommodation provided at Matilda House and currently managed by A2Dominion.
A further £30,000 will be used to provide additional emergency shelter for anyone experiencing rough sleeping during severe winter weather.
Positive activities and help to get into work (£113,678)
Positive activities grants provide core funding for The Porch Day Centre and The Gatehouse café, whose services include showers and laundry, food, training and education and a range of activities.
Employment support funding allows Aspire to provide training and employment opportunities for homeless and precariously housed people.
Preventing homelessness (£30,000)
This grant contributes towards a sanctuary scheme for people experiencing domestic abuse.
Other (£230,421)
These grants include a contribution towards the council’s rough sleeping and single homelessness team. They also provide free access to leisure centres for people living in supported housing after experiencing homelessness.
Comment
“Nobody should have to sleep rough in Oxfordshire. Our £1.65m investment in preventing homelessness rants will help ensure Oxfordshire Homeless Alliance continues to work collectively and effectively to prevent and reduce rough sleeping across our county.
“It takes more than a roof to end homelessness. People also need the right support to sustain a tenancy and prevent a return to the streets.
“The Alliance’s ‘housing led’ approach is delivering good results in helping people off the streets permanently and our investment will help them keep up their great work.”
Councillor Linda Smith, Cabinet Member for Housing
Oxfordshire Homelessness Alliance
Launched in April 2022, the Oxfordshire Homelessness Alliance is a ‘housing-led’ service with a £3.8m annual budget. It aims to prevent and reduce rough sleeping across the county.
The Alliance is jointly commissioned by Oxfordshire’s six councils and the Berkshire, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Integrated Care Service. It brings together the majority of outreach, accommodation and prevention services in a system-wide approach to tackling homelessness.
The Alliance is made up of Aspire, A2Dominion, Connection Support, Elmore Community Services, Homeless Oxfordshire and St Mungo's.
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