The Guildford Housing First service is a key part of Guildford Borough Council’s Homelessness Prevention Strategy.

The service follows the Housing First defined approach to ending homelessness, which provides individuals with a permanent offer of independent, stable housing and open-ended, wrap-around support, structured around 7 key principles:

1. People have a right to a home
2. Flexible support is provided for as long as is needed
3. Housing and support are separated
4. Individuals have choice and control
5. An active engagement approach is used
6. The service is based on people’s strengths, goals and aspirations
7. Harm reduction approach is used

The service is using an outcomes-based commissioning approach (also known as payment-by-results) with the Riverside Impact Fund. The outcomes focus on the long-term outcomes of tenancy sustainment.

We will support customers to:

• Access self-contained, secure accommodation on permanent basis with staff available during office hours and access to out of hours support.
• Have a dedicated Housing First Worker to develop a tailored support plan and support to access relevant agencies, including, mental health, substance misuse, benefits/finance, education/employment, counselling, domestic abuse etc.
• Access furniture and white goods for their home.
• Develop life skills
• Budget and manage debts
• Put in place safeguards to stabilise and manage crisis situations including situations relating to domestic violence, hate crime and anti-social behaviour
• Understand their license agreement and help to organise utilities.
• Make links within community.

The service will be flexible to customer needs, with out of office hours support provided when needed.

Our Housing First Worker will work with customers; to understand when is best for them and will visit them in their home as well as in the local area.

Customers will receive an individually tailored support plan and suitable accommodation on a permanent basis, with help to furnish their home.

All applications for the service should have a local connection to Guildford and can be made via agencies in the area who support rough sleepers including;

• Riverside
• Number 5 Night shelter
• Guildford Action
• Guildford Borough Council

Applications will be administered by the Housing First Delivery Group led by Guildford Borough Council.

Housing First Team are based at Vaughan House, 5-7 Chertsey St, Guildford, Surrey, GU1 4HD