Landlords raise £300k for Shelter

Seven housing associations have come forward to pledge cash to the charity which will reduce the need for redundancies in five of Shelter’s services across the country.

Thames Valley Housing and London & Quadrant called on landlords to support the charity in February this year after it revealed cuts to legal aid will mean it will lose £3 million to deliver face-to-face advice.

Shelter had to close nine of its face-to-face advice services with nearly 90 staff being made redundant from Sunday.

It was originally going to have to close 10 but with savings the charity has made from within its services and using money from donations it has been able to save the Chatham service.

Thames Valley and L&Q, along with Orbit East & South, Affinity Sutton, Gateway Housing, Saxon Weald and Sanctuary Group, have raised £306,250 for the next two years. Two more landlords are currently considering their support.

Geeta Nanda, chief executive of Thames Valley Housing Association, said: ‘At this time of significant change, advice services are critical for our tenants.

‘Shelter is the first place many will turn to. Housing associations have a long history with Shelter and it would be great to reignite that relationship and support.’

David Montague, chief executive of L&Q, said: ‘Shelter has always been there to support us. Now we have a responsibility to support Shelter. Welfare reform is upon us, our residents will be looking for independent advice and Shelter is best placed to provide it. I urge every housing association, and every organisation with an interest in the welfare of people who will be affected by welfare reform, to give what they can.’

Shelter’s chief executive Campbell Robb said: ‘We are truly stunned by the response from the industry, which is beyond anything we could have hoped for.  The money that has been pledged will make a real difference to the face-to-face advice that Shelter is able to offer, and therefore to the people across the country who are desperately in need of help to keep a roof over their heads.’

The Shelter offices that were closed were in Rotherham, Ashford, Dover, Milton Keynes, Cheshire, Gloucester, Somerset, Hertfordshire and Cumbria.