Homelessness

Our homelessness prevention and rough sleeping strategy sets out the actions needed to help prevent homelessness.

In developing this strategy, we've worked with individual, services and organisations across the borough. The strategy sets-out 4 priority themes for action.

Partnership and collaboration

Together we will:

• establish a Homelessness Partnership Board for Thurrock, bringing together partners from the public, private and community, voluntary and faith sectors as well as those with lived experience to tackle homeless in the borough
• commit to work closely with London authorities to reduce the impact of out-of-borough placements of homeless households in Thurrock
• work with stakeholders and the community, voluntary and faith sector to address the support, education, training and employment needs of vulnerable people
• share knowledge between partners to improve the identification of individuals experiencing rough sleeping in Thurrock in order to provide appropriate and timely support

Health and wellbeing

Together we will:

• redefine and simplify pathways for vulnerable households to access health and wellbeing services across the borough, especially in relation to mental health
• increase awareness of the physical impact of homelessness and work with partners to improve access to primary care services for those experiencing rough sleeping
• explore opportunities to deliver improved services to armed forces veterans who are homeless or at risk of homelessness
• review and revise the existing joint protocol for supporting those at risk of homelessness as a result of fleeing domestic and sexual abuse

Provision and accessibility

Together we will:

• explore options to increase council-owned temporary accommodation available within the borough
• review the Winter Night Shelter to assess its impact in order to guide future provision
• develop new social housing in the borough to be let at levels within Local Housing Allowance rates
• engage with landlords in the private rented sector to secure safe, suitable and affordable accommodation for homeless households

Customer excellence

Together we will:

• ensure that training regarding homelessness legislation and best practice is available for council staff and partners involved in supporting homeless households in Thurrock
• consider ways in which the council could develop support and accommodation options for people with complex needs
• engage with those with lived experience of homelessness to support future service and policy development and design
• build a directory of specialist knowledge and skills, embedding officers these skills directly into the homelessness service where possible, to provide timely and appropriate support to homeless households in need