How and why we work in partnership

No single agency has the solution to ending homelessness.  We can only start to move towards ending homelessness by working together and in partnership.  Exeter City Council works with a number of voluntary agencies who help us to prevent homelessness in Exeter.  A number of our partners specialise in particular areas of homelessness, from Young Devon and YMCA who specialise in youth homelessness to St Petrocks, Julian House and BCHA who specialise in working with rough sleepers. The Clock Tower Surgery, Together Drug and Alcohol Service and CoLab Exeter all specialise in providing critical health and wellbeing support services. It is as a result of these joined up specialisms that we work better in partnership. 

What long term plans do we have?

The causes of homelessness are often very complex and ever changing.  We have recently published a new 5 Year Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Prevention Strategy.  This will be an organic document that will be flexible and responsive to changes in local and central government policy and local needs.  We are always working on innovative housing solutions although they have to be realistic i.e., deliverable and affordable. 

What are the current challenges we face?

Challenges are constantly changing although the three most immediate challenges are:

• Lack of affordable housing – although Exeter City Council is a stock holding authority with over 4,800 properties unfortunately, we are still losing more properties (through the Right to Buy scheme) than we are able to build as replacements.
• Difficulties accessing private rented sector– there is an ever increasing gap between Local Housing Allowance (LHA) and the average private sector rents. The LHA rate is used to calculate Housing Benefit for tenants renting from private landlords.  For example the LHA rate for a two bedroom property in Exeter is £679.99, whereas the median market rent is £1,200.  Therefore there is a deficit of £520.01 per month which a tenant would have to make up from alternative income sources. 
• Increasing complexity - The council is seeing an increasing number of households who are approaching with multiple disadvantage other than just housing need. The past 5 years have been challenging for the majority of the population especially during the covid-19 pandemic. Poor mental health and addiction issues are the most prominent support needs that people are facing.