We have produced a new Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy 2021-2026. This combined strategy replaces the Housing and Homeless Strategy 2017-2021.

The key priority of the new strategy is to shift the focus towards a much greater use of prevention measures while retaining directed prevention and crisis resolution for those who slip through the net. At the same time continued pressure needs to be maintained to assist those sleeping rough to come in off the streets and rebuild their lives.

Four objectives have been defined to guide work on homelessness in the next five years.

• Objective one - Universal prevention To provide a wide range of low-level, early intervention services to support people at any time, not just when homelessness is a possibility.
• Objective two - Directed prevention To assist those who are threatened with homelessness to remain in their existing home if at all possible or, where this is not possible, to help them avoid homelessness by all other practical means.
• Objective three - Crisis resolution To support those who become homeless, by providing suitable temporary housing and a broad palette of assistance to secure long-term, sustainable accommodation.
• Objective four - Rough sleeping To continue to innovate and expand the range of services available in order to maintain downward pressure on the number of people sleeping rough in the district.