Shining a light on Burnley and Pendle's desperate homeless families

The East Lancashire Homeless Families project, part of Gateway, has supported over 48 families over the last 22 months, with all clients going on to maintain their own tenancies.

The project provides accommodation for families who are homeless or are at risk of homelessness and supports clients into their own accommodation when ready.

Recently, the project has witnessed a rise in referrals from families losing their homes through evictions, rent arrears, relationship breakdown, domestic abuse and mental health issues.

These and other difficulties have only worsened as a result of the pandemic with the latest Government figures confirming this, showing that the number of households with children becoming homeless increased by 28% in England last summer alone.

One former client spoke about how the service had transformed theirs, and their family's, lives: “I lived in a caravan in poor conditions with my young children and had to use the oven and blankets to keep us all warm.

"I spoke to the housing options team and was temporarily accommodated into a B&B. I was told to wait for a phone call the next day. The phone call came, there was a property I could move in to and call home temporarily.

"My support worker came and visited me every week and she honestly changed my life. I have since moved into my own permanent private rented accommodation. I honestly don’t have enough thank you’s for everyone involved to ensure me and my boys have a safe, warm place to live.”

Support workers help families develop independent living skills from domestic skills to financial management skills. They also ensure that the needs of any children are met, forming close partnerships with Children’s Social Services.

While Covid-19 has presented a huge challenge, staff have been trained to ensure they can continue to provide support safely. With many shops currently closed, social enterprise Furniture Matters has recently stepped in to help the service access furniture and white goods for their move on homes.

Louise Jackson, Floating Support co-ordinator, Gateway, said: “We’re eager to build upon the fantastic work already achieved by this service and support even more homeless families as they strive to secure accommodation. With pressures on families continuing to rise as a result of the pandemic, this level of dedicated support is more vital than ever before.”

The East Lancashire Homeless Families project has been housing and supporting clients since April 2019, utilising a number of properties provided by Registered Social Landlords Calico Homes and Onward Homes spanning Burnley, Hyndburn, Pendle and Rossendale.

If you or someone you know is homeless or at risk of homelessness, the service can be accessed through local Housing Options Teams in Burnley, Pendle, Rossendale and Hyndburn.