Salford City Council is changing the way that people who are homeless access services.
From Monday 21 October 2024, people will be able to complete a short online form to access help. Once the form is sent to the council, a dedicated Homeless Prevention Officer will be assigned and will make contact with the applicant within three working days.
At the moment, people who need help are asked to attend Salford Civic Centre, take a numbered ticket and wait to be called. On an average month, there are over 450 presentations from people needing help. For people attending Salford Civic Centre, there is often a lengthy wait to be seen.
People will be offered an appointment on a date that is convenient for them.
The move is part of a drive to improve the efficiency and accessibility of the services. The new system will reduce the amount of time people have to wait to see an officer and will help the team to prioritise cases effectively.
People will still be able to access the service at Salford Civic Centre if they are homeless that day and where they have difficulties completing the online form.
Councillor Tracy Kelly, Deputy City Mayor and Lead Member for Housing and Anti-Poverty at Salford City Council, said: “This new system will make it much easier for people to get the vital help and support they need and also help us to prioritise cases. It makes the process easier, quicker, more affordable, and less stressful for both staff and customers
“The numbers of people we deal with will be a shock to some people. The cost-of-living crisis and lack of affordable homes is having a huge impact on local people.
“In the average month we have approximately 450 people to assess. Our officers do a fantastic job and work tirelessly with a huge workload and limited resources and we hope this new process is a hit with the public.
“Our partners and the local community and voluntary sector also help local people incredibly well. They are some of the forgotten heroes in this great city which would be a much worse place without them.”
Salford City Council has a statutory duty to carry out an assessment in all cases where eligible people are homeless or threatened with homelessness.
More details on the new service can be found here: https://www.salford.gov.uk/housing/changes-to-how-people-access-homeless-services/
For further information please contact: public.relations@salford.gov.uk
