A successful scheme helping residents move out of temporary accommodation and into secure, affordable homes in the private rented sector is being expanded to support 120 more households.
Brent is one of the worst affected places in the UK by the housing crisis. Every week, around 140 households in the borough become homeless, and the situation has reached a critical point.
There are now over 34,000 households on the council’s housing waiting list. Some have waited decades. Yet, on average, only around 650 council homes become available annually, and 40% are one-bedroom properties - far too small for many families.
The reality is that many people on the list will never be offered a council home. Through this scheme, the council is helping families find a place they can afford and lay down roots in safe, stable housing in the private rented sector.
Delivered in partnership with social enterprise Beam, the programme supports families to find suitable homes and jobs, helping them move forward with stability. It focuses on those at risk of homelessness or currently living in temporary accommodation, offering personalised support with property searches, managing bills and building strong relationships with landlords.
Beam equips its frontline caseworkers with custom AI tools to reduce admin and improve response times meaning staff can spend more time providing face-to-face support to the families they serve.
Households will also receive financial assistance to help them move, along with up to 12 months of wraparound support to help them stay in their new homes - including employment and money management advice.
Now in its fifth year, the council’s partnership with Beam has already helped 77 local people into housing and 102 residents into work. By preventing homelessness and supporting people to move on from temporary accommodation, the council expects the expanded scheme to save over £500,000 in housing costs over the next year.
One of the residents supported through the scheme is Gifty, a mother of two young children. Shortly after the birth of her second child, her landlord decided to sell the property she was renting. No longer in work, she could not afford to rent somewhere new and was fearful about becoming homeless.
With support from the programme, Gifty quickly found a job and was supported to find a home locally. Within three months, she and her daughters were able to move into privately rented accommodation in the borough.
Since then, Gifty has started working in social care and is now studying English and Maths in preparation for applying to a nursing course.
Gifty said: “When you don't have a stable place to live, your mind is not at rest. You have to think about that before anything else. Now I have a secure place to live, I can focus on my career.”
