Housing Hand to meet Housing Minster in bid to support those who find it hardest to access housing
- Rough sleeping up 165% between 2010 and 2018 (MHCLG)
- Housing Hand meeting Ester McVey to discuss UK housing solutions
- Supporting people at risk of becoming homeless is key CSR priority
The number of people sleeping rough in the UK rose by 165% between 2010 and 2018 according to figures from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. Supporting people to get off the streets and back into mainstream housing is a complex issue and one that is better addressed by supporting those at risk of becoming homeless in the first place. As such, local councils need to do all they can to support those who find it harder to access housing, according to UK rent guarantor service Housing Hand.
The Museum for Homelessness reports that a homeless person dies every 19 hours in the UK. With homelessness rising so sharply over the past eight years, a solution is needed fast. Housing Hand is one organisation seeking to be part of that solution. The company is due to meet with Housing Minister Esther McVey this month to discuss supporting those who find it harder to access housing, including working with local councils.
Housing Hand acts as a guarantor for students and working professionals who rent their homes and don’t have a UK guarantor. The company has covered £120,000,000 in rent to date and has worked with over 3,000 accommodation providers. Now, it is piloting a scheme working with local councils to support some of those who are most in need of support with accessing appropriate housing.
“Local authorities have a complex task ahead of them when it comes to meeting the housing needs of some of the most vulnerable members of our society. Doing so requires them to work with a range of external agencies and to find new ways of supporting their constituents. As such, Housing Hand is trialling a new way of working with local councils to ensure that those who need housing are better able to access it.”
Jeremy Robinson, Group Managing Director, Housing Hand
Housing Hand’s service involves it stepping in to act as a guarantor should the tenant not be able to pay their rent. The company works directly with landlords, local councils and tenants in order to provide stability within the rented accommodation sector. It is undertaking the trial with local councils as part of its corporate social responsibility agenda.
“There’s nothing that can’t be solved when it comes to addressing the problems with the UK housing market – it just requires the right combination of vision, practicality and funding. Our business has evolved significantly since we first started providing rent guarantor services and we are delighted to be in a position now to support some of those who find it hardest to access housing to do so with a sense of security.”
Jeremy Robinson, Group Managing Director, Housing Hand
For more information please contact Housing Hand today on +44 (0) 207 205 2625 or visit https://www.housinghand.co.uk/