News

More local authority help

Staff, July 3rd 2010

Local authorities will offer more options to those facing the prospect of homelessness, the Minister for Housing and Communities, Alex Neil, said today.

The Scottish Housing Options Approach funding programme will see councils refocusing services to look at individuals' options in the widest sense.

To reduce the number of homeless applicants, council staff must provide households with information and advice about the services available, including those that offer support, and to prevent homelessness happening where possible.

The Scottish Government has invested approximately £500,000, in staff training and service development. Alex Neil said: "It is essential we do all we can to achieve our 2012 target of offering all unintentionally homeless households accommodation.

"The Scottish Government and its partner COSLA are not, and never will be, complacent about tackling and preventing the trauma of homelessness.

"With the housing options approach, prevention activity is the main driver, which makes sense economically and socially, and is line with the Government's broader principles of early intervention."

The Housing and Communities Minister is a member of the Scottish Government/COSLA 2012 Steering Group, which has agreed to focus on homelessness prevention.

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