Oxford City Council investing huge sum to help homeless

The funding will support a ‘Housing First’ programme, which gives individuals with a history of rough sleeping a permanent home and personalised, long-term support.

Homeless Oxfordshire has been awarded a 12-month contract to support 40 people in Oxford under the scheme.

Councillor Linda Smith, cabinet member for housing and communities, said: “Oxford City Council has pioneered the ‘Housing First’ approach to solving long-term homeless since 2021.

“It’s a proven way of helping people move on with their lives and recover from homelessness after more traditional style rough sleeping services have not worked for them.”

The contract includes the option to extend for a further four years, depending on future funding.

The Housing First model focuses on housing individuals without preconditions and offers tailored support to help them maintain their tenancies.

All that is required is a willingness to keep a tenancy. Support is offered based on individual needs and is not tied to accommodation.

The approach differs from other homelessness services in that housing and support are generally not delivered by the same provider, which allows for more flexible care.

Housing First is a key part of the City Council’s Housing, Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy, and also supports the Countywide Homelessness Strategy, aiming to end rough sleeping in Oxford.

More information about the contract is available on the Oxford City Council website.