Strategic priorities

Strategic priorities

The five proposed priorities to achieve our aims

1: Prioritise early intervention and prevention of homelessness

We will continue to prioritise the prevention all forms of homelessness, rough sleeping and multiple exclusion. 

We will provide clear and accessible information and advice about where and how to resolve homelessness. 

We will share information and work with partners better.

We will support existing accommodation arrangements where safe and suitable to do so.

We propose to:

  • commit to working more effectively with partners to prevent homelessness and rough sleeping by creating a Cumberland Charter
  • offer more easily accessible advice and targeted interventions to prevent homelessness
  • promote early intervention and ensure people are referred to the right team at the right time
  • increase the criminal justice rehousing pathway options and multi-agency prevention responses, including access to immediate health support
  • review and implement all pre-eviction protocols and work with landlords to create effective early alert systems

2: Work to end rough sleeping and multiple exclusion 

We will follow the recent national recommendations to better protect people who are homeless. We will prioritise the councils target priority group (TPG).

We will increase our targeted ‘off the street’ rehousing pathways for people identified as rough sleeping.

We will prioritise a ‘housing first’ multi-agency approach to address the causes of repeat homelessness, rough sleeping and multiple exclusion with enhanced governance arrangements through the Cumbria Safeguarding Adults Board (CSAB) and Making Every Adult Matter (MEAM) Partnerships.

We propose to:

  • reduce the numbers of people effected by repeat homelessness and end rough sleeping
  • implement Housing First multi-disciplinary case conferencing panel approach, linked to MEAM and CSAB
  • increase specialist longer term Housing First and ‘move on’ accommodation and support options
  • improve access to a range of key services to meet wider health and treatment needs – particularly mental health and substance and alcohol dependency needs
  • raise awareness of key issues and reduce misconceptions of homelessness through campaigns and communication including positive giving schemes as alternatives to begging

3: Develop and improve access to a suitable range of settled, supported and temporary accommodation solutions

We will make best use of accommodation available that meets the needs of our residents, supports their health and wellbeing, and continue to influence improved standards across all tenures and available accommodation.

We will increase the availability of a range of affordable settled, specialist supported and temporary accommodation rehousing pathways to meet the needs of those most at risk of homelessness. 

We propose to:

  • reduce the use of unsuitable Bed and Breakfast accommodation by providing better emergency and temporary housing options
  • find long lasting housing-led solutions for everyone, focusing on developing affordable and quick re-housing pathways
  • engage private landlords to encourage more to let properties to people experiencing or at risk of homelessness
  • support the development and delivery of new 16/17 joint housing protocol and care experienced pathways. Increase good quality rehousing and support options, timely joint move on planning, and opportunities for all young people and single households aged under 35 years
  • develop opportunities to increase the supply of good quality, genuinely affordable housing, both temporary and permanent, including new homes, and flexible tenancy sustainment support for those moving and settling into new homes

4: Deliver an efficient, effective and accessible homeless prevention and housing support service tailored to meet diverse needs

We will deliver a trauma-informed, effective specialist advice and support service to quickly address the diverse needs of our residents. 
We will support early intervention multi-agency approaches to meet the complex needs of people identified at risk to prevent homelessness, and support them to access and sustain safe and suitable accommodation.

We propose to:

  • reshape and transform Cumberland Housing teams approaches to `how, when and where’, including a focus on understanding people’s strengths and aspirations, as well as risks and needs
  • improve online advice and support and ensure that targeted information is available in a range of suitable formats
  • establish a new Cumberland Preventing Homelessness Partnership
  • create internal and external training programme to raise awareness and embed a homelessness prevention champions network
  • ensure those with lived experience, minority and hard to reach groups are positively and actively engaged in shaping service delivery and approaches

5: Tackle systematic housing insecurity

We will build strong partnerships and systems to support the strategic priorities for Cumberland. We will work with partners to tackle the root causes of housing inequality and insecurity by advocating for change and helping residents make informed decisions about their housing issues.

We propose to:

  • host annual events for partners and stakeholders on homelessness themes
  • regularly share data and updates to address local homelessness and rehousing issues, using multi agency tools for information sharing and risk assessment
  • align strategic priorities with the Councils wider key Housing Policy, supporting activity to develop new homes to prevent and effectively relieve homelessness
  • remove system barriers to meaningful information sharing and joint working for those with complex needs and rehousing challenges
  • actively involve and engage people with lived experience to deliver positive impact together
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