Horsham Council Receives £2.6k Homelessness Prevention Grant

Friday, 7 June 2024 06:00

By Karen Dunn, Local Democracy Reporter

Horsham District Council. Image: GoogleMaps

Horsham District Council has accepted a grant of more than £260,000 to help prevent and relieve homelessness.

The council had not been told about the £266,546 grant from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities when it set its budget for 2024/25.

So, during a meeting of the full council on Wednesday (June 5), members were asked to approve an increase in the housing services budget to allow for the extra money.

This was done so, unanimously.

Sam Raby, cabinet member for housing, communities and well-being, said the money would relieve ‘significant pressure’ from the general fund and officers were now looking into how it would be used.

He added:

“One of the most important things that we can do as a district council is to help people who get into difficulty – break up of families, illness or accident in the family, or just simply the money coming in isn’t enough to cover rent and people are at risk of not having anywhere to live.

“Our housing services work incredibly hard. We’ve increased the number of units of temporary accommodation. That’s one of the big things that we can do.

“Although people may be in temporary accommodation, unlike some of the tragic cases – particularly in London and some of the bigger cities that have got huge pressures on them – when somebody’s in temporary accommodation in Horsham, they may well be in a flat or a house where a family can continue living in the district, continue living a normal life.

“It’s a hugely important area that the council works on. It’s one of the most important things for our residents. And this money will be incredibly well-spent.”

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