Housing Support Service

Housing has emerged as a key priority area for national and local government alike yet the resources available to cope with new and existing pressures are, as we know, limited.

The Housing Support Service, delivered through our Talent Bank, is an initiative available to local authorities and housing providers to address the range of challenges that they face, for example, through:

• Research, analysis and development of local solutions in relation to:
  • the use of costly temporary accommodation (including bed & breakfast)
  • the role that the Private Rented Sector could play in meeting local housing needs
  • new options to reduce under-occupation, bring empty homes back into use and reduce tenancy fraud
  • alternative models for providing housing support and delivery of training for housing staff working with vulnerable customers
• Short-term support and project management to assist  the delivery of key local projects and priorities
• New strategy development, including housing, homelessness, allocations, tenancy strategies etc
• Analysis of the quantity and type of new affordable homes required and mechanisms for funding and delivery
• Short-term support to deliver 'Action Research' and other consultation initiatives with customers and key stakeholders
• Diagnostic support for stock holding authorities  to test the performance of services including, rent recovery, repairs, housing management

Infpormation on using the Talent Bank is available at http://www.improvementeast.gov.uk/talent-bank/

NB. This area of the website also provides an archive of the documents and briefings produced in the past.