East Lancashire ex-offenders support scheme set to continue

The accommodation for ex-offenders programme in East Lancashire has been given further funding of £232,808 from the Government.

The programme was established in 2021 to help prison leavers find homes via the private rented sector to help re-establish themselves into the community, cut homelessness and reduce re-offending rates.

The money will be used to provide assistance, including support workers, employed through Calico Homes, who will help settle an estimated 80 ex-offenders across the five boroughs over the next two years.

The funding bid was led by Burnley Council on behalf of the five East Lancashire borough councils.

Coun. John Harbour, the council’s executive member for housing and development control, said: “Providing support to ex-offenders who have been released from prison to help them find and maintain a settled home will help in the process of preventing them from re-offending and, hopefully, help reduce crime rates.

“Councils also have a statutory duty to prevent and tackle homelessness and this will help achieve that.”

The Burnley Express revealed in October that over the past two years the borough of Burnley, like many other areas of the country, had seen a rise in the number of inquiries for housing advice, households at risk of homelessness and demand for temporary accommodation.

A report will go to Burnley Council’s scrutiny committee, and then to its executive on 15th March for its approval to accept the funding.