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Housing association-backed scheme accommodates more than 350 homeless people

More than 350 people experiencing homelessness have been accommodated as a result of a three-year project involving a number of housing associations.

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Picture: Getty
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The Greater Manchester Homes Partnership has accommodated almost double the amount of people it was originally set up to support #UKhousing

The Greater Manchester Homes Partnership, which was launched in 2017 by One Manchester and Trafford Housing Trust, has provided housing to 356 people, almost double the number the project was initially set up to support.

The scheme was originally funded by a £1.8m social impact bond (SIB), which One Manchester, Trafford Housing Trust and impact investor Bridges Fund Management secured from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG). The initial funding sum was increased to £2.6m in 2018.

Great Places, Shelter and local charity The Brick delivered the project, which was supported by a number of other housing associations including Bolton at Home, ForViva and Salix Homes.

The project saw those who were accommodated offered wrap-around support, including help with mental health, alcohol and drug issues and employment guidance.


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Working alongside the Greater Manchester Combined Authority and the mayor of Greater Manchester, the project has helped 133 people to access mental health support; 97 to access drug and alcohol services; and 85 to start employment, volunteering or education.

Since Andy Burnham was elected mayor of Greater Manchester in 2017, rough sleeping has declined by 57%.

The period has also seen the mayor develop his flagship A Bed Every Night (ABEN) scheme, which aims to provide a bed and support for everyone sleeping rough or at risk of sleeping rough in Greater Manchester.

Additional funding was recently allocated to ABEN to ensure those accommodated via the scheme are offered self-contained, COVID-safe accommodation.

Mr Bunham said: “Over the last four years, Greater Manchester has been improving our response to homelessness and learning more about what makes a real difference.

“Our SIB has made a massive contribution to that journey of greater understanding and I would like to pay genuine tribute to all the partners: Bridges Outcomes Partnerships, One Manchester, Trafford Housing Trust, Shelter, Great Places, The Brick, the Greater Manchester Housing Providers and the Bond Board.

“The SIB’s successes are obvious and deserve enormous praise – in many ways, as a model it has laid the groundwork for all sorts of homelessness programmes and strategies that have followed.”

Andrew Levitt, chair of the Greater Manchester Homes Partnership board, said: “We want to extend our thanks to every organisation involved in the incredible success of this programme.

“While we set out to help as many people as we could, we’ve exceeded that target, and have been able to ensure that every participant is equipped for life after GM Homes.

“We now look to the future, and how we, as individual organisations, can ensure long-term change happens and that every person experiencing homelessness is given all the help they need. We’re delighted to have begun some key changes to service delivery that will be in place and taken forward by our partners after this service concludes.”

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