Newcastle Labour is putting prevention and early intervention at the heart of the city’s approach to homelessness, with a commitment to help residents before they reach the crisis of losing their home.
The council’s new approach recognises that preventing homelessness wherever possible is better for residents, families and communities than waiting until somebody has already lost their home.
Working alongside Your Homes Newcastle and organisations across the city, Labour wants services to identify people who may be at risk earlier and provide practical help to keep them in their homes.
That includes work to prevent evictions, tackle youth homelessness and provide residents struggling with debt or financial problems with advice and support.
The council is also working to improve coordination between housing and other services, recognising that homelessness is rarely caused by a single issue.
Loss of income, debt, unemployment, family difficulties and other support needs can all put someone’s home at risk. Labour’s approach is therefore focused on identifying those pressures and bringing organisations together to address problems before they become a housing crisis.
Particular attention is also being given to preventing young people from becoming homeless and helping families facing financial difficulties remain in their homes.
Access to decent and affordable housing remains a significant challenge, including for residents looking to the private rented sector for a home.
Labour believes the council cannot tackle these challenges alone. Preventing homelessness requires the council, Your Homes Newcastle and voluntary and community organisations to work together, sharing information and ensuring residents can access the right support at the right time.
The aim is straightforward: fewer people reaching the point where they lose their home and fewer families experiencing the enormous disruption that homelessness can cause.
Council Deputy Leader Cllr Joyce McCarty said: “Our priority must be to prevent people becoming homeless wherever we possibly can, rather than waiting until somebody has already reached crisis point.
“Losing your home can have a devastating impact on every part of someone’s life. By identifying problems earlier and bringing housing, financial and other support together, we have a much better opportunity to help people remain in their homes.
“Labour wants Newcastle to be a city where people facing difficult circumstances know that support is available before those difficulties become a crisis.
“That means working closely with Your Homes Newcastle and organisations across the city to tackle the causes of homelessness as well as dealing with its consequences.”