Peterborough City Council funding for supported housing for around 100 people in city set to end

Young people living in supported accommodation schemes will have council funding stopped and be forced to find a new home – as the authority tries to balance the books.

Around 100 people, aged up to 25, currently are resident in supported accommodation in Peterborough, including at Futures on Mayors Walk, The New Haven on Towler Street, Time Stop on Wellington Street and Peterborough HRS, known as The Foyer, on Tait Close.

However, from November, Peterborough City Council will no longer fund the accommodation costs – leaving the residents needing to find a permanent home.

The residents were told in a meeting on Monday about the plans.

While one resident – who has asked not to be identified – told The Peterborough Telegraph they were concerned about being made homeless as a result of the cuts, the authority has said the residents will be given support to find a new address – and nobody would be left on the streets following the end of funding.

The resident said that many in supported accommodation ‘are struggling to afford food, many have no savings and many have mental disabilities.’

Prior to 2009 supported accommodation for single people was supported by a Government grant, known as Supporting People. Although many councils stopped providing financial support of this kind when the grant ended, it had been continued in Peterborough.

There are currently no people aged under 18 in supported accommodation in Peterborough.

“It is one of a number of proposals that our new administration is now having to deliver which we wish we didn’t have to"

Councillor Alison Jones, Cabinet Member for Housing and Communities, said the decision was one the council wished they did not have to make.

Cllr Jones said: “The change in funding for supported accommodation was agreed by Full Council in February as part of a raft of proposals to be able to balance our budget in the current financial year.

“It is one of a number of proposals that our new administration is now having to deliver which we wish we didn’t have to, however the huge financial challenge that we have inherited means we have little choice. In the current financial year we are facing at least a £10m overspend and in the coming year our budget gap is between £13m and £24m.

“We will continue to provide funding for supported accommodation for those who need it the most, including services for young adults at risk, young parents, individuals who are under licence with the probation service and refugees, however a reduction in the funding provided for supported accommodation will have an impact on a number of settings including Peterborough HRS.

“We are working alongside Longhurst Group, which runs Peterborough HRS, to support all those who currently reside there to find alternative accommodation. This may be in independent accommodation or other alternative supported accommodation settings.

“Supported accommodation is always meant as a stepping stone to more permanent accommodation which provides people with independence and their own front door. We will now work with those affected to support them to make this change as quickly as possible.”

The council confirmed that 19 beds will still be provided at the Foyer as part of the new arrangement.