Case one

Story of Chloe:

Chloe came into our temporary accommodation from a hospital stay where she has seriously hurt her back in a fall. She could not return to her families address as the relationship had broken down due to alcohol misuse and the strain of the living together.

She came into emergency accommodation and straight away started engaging with her alcohol use and became abstinent. Chloe had previously been a career woman; she was well spoken and educated. She was at that time living on Universal Credit (UC) as her life had started to free fall.

Chloe understood that she did not have the financial support to move into her own place in Exeter.  As an unemployed person Chloe relied on Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rate for rent for Exeter.  This is £570 for a single person over 35, should she have been under 35 this would have been £420.  As a single person her UC was about £320, this would have to be used to ‘top up’ any rent liability, then consider bills etc.

Chloe tried so many places in Exeter, and the answer was the same.  A lot of Landlords did not want those not working, reasoning included ‘at home not in work’ thereby using up expensive electric and gas in the day. “The room is already gone” was regularly heard. The competition was and is fierce for even rooms in shared houses.

Chloe looked at the LHA rate and noticed that this extended out across a broad rental market area.  The rents in these areas were much more affordable comparatively. Chloe started to make property enquiries in this area outside of Exeter city but within a reasonable travel range.

Within a week or so Chloe had several viewings and three offers. These were for generous sized rooms in houses by private Landlords not requiring any financial checks or Experian for credit checks. The rent was more affordable and a top up over £570 was not even needed, allowing her money for travel. Some towns near Exeter have strong transport links and at times you can be in Exeter as quick as you could when trying to get across the city.  Chloe recognised this as a good compromise to her original target of living in the city itself.

The Council helped Chloe with her first months’ rent and this money is now hers if she feels the need to move from her accommodation to a place of her own in the future. She is looking for work and very positive for the future.

Case two

Story of Gregg

Gregg has been with us since early January this year and has settled into his supported accommodation placement.  He is engaging well with staff and other residents; however, we have had to be very clear around boundaries with time frames so that everyone accommodated gets a share of onsite support where needed.  Gregg has learning difficulties and schizophrenia; both can be very challenging and demanding on staff and other residents. For example, Gregg can be loud and needs to be reminded to use his “indoor” voice.

Gregg has not become physically aggressive in his time at the project, which has been an issue before, and had been reported for striking a security guard in previous accommodation. Gregg has been living on the streets for approx. 18 months as he was deemed too high a risk to be accommodated by other housing providers after losing multiple placements.

Gregg has professional enablers who provide 3 hours per day support which can include collecting medication, assisting with cleaning and tidying his room, cooking, and taking Gregg out.

Since Gregg has been at the project, he has significantly reduced his drug use. He was smoking spice on a daily basis and taking other illicit drugs.  However, he has not used spice since he has been with us and also any other form of drug apart from his prescription medication.

Gregg has now been successfully moved onto a supported mental health housing project and he has settled in well. This is very successful move on after being street homeless for over 18 months and deemed too high risk to accommodate.

Case Three

Faye’s story

Faye has been in an abusive relationship for a number of years and was subject to suspected domestic abuse and coercive control.  She had experienced many accommodation placements being lost due to her former partner’s behaviour (anti-social behaviour, drug use, threats toward staff etc).  Her former partner was remanded in custody in 2021 following a serious assault and during that time Faye had the strength to end the relationship.  Due to serious threats her ex was making from prison, health care providers raised a MARAC – multi-agency risk assessment conference (there have been a total of 8 for this couple in the last few years).

Without her partner Faye began to engage more with the team who linked her to other services such as domestic abuse specialist support services Fear Less, Breathing Space and Resilient Women. She was accommodated in the all-female Breathing Space project and during that time they and the Council multi-agency “Navigator” support team supported her to appointments (dentist, hospital etc) and she joined in with group work. Faye was bidding regularly on Devon Home Choice and she collected keys for her own tenancy in 2022.

The team arranged a Turntable referral for furniture and kitchen essentials with white goods supplied and carpets fitted. She set up direct debits for her service charges and bills and her Housing Navigator organised her Housing Benefits and subsequent back-payment to her former landlord in relation to rent owed.

As she has sustained her tenancy for more than 6 months and is settled, she has been transitioned out of the main support cohort as she no longer needs such intensive support going forward.