New report shows Elmore sustaining tenancies and saving the public purse £535K
A new report by Elmore Community Services shows that its tenancy sustainment service has saved the public purse an estimated £535K since 2016.
The evaluation, ‘Holding onto Home’ shows how Elmore’s model has improved the mental health and wellbeing of 75 council tenants since 2016, prevented moves away from secure tenancy into temporary accommodation or homelessness, and saved a council and a range of public services large sums of money.
The Tenancy Sustainment service was set up in in 2009, specifically to support Oxford City Council residents to keep their tenancies and stay in their homes. By collaborating with council tenants in a person-centred way, the service has helped to build trust in Elmore’s support and sustain engagement in ways which statutory agencies can sometimes struggle to do.
The report shows that Elmore is achieving its primary aim of tenancy sustainment. Where a move has happened, a client has moved to another supported tenancy or—as in the case of the quarter of clients who moved at least once—is moved into a stable supported tenancy from short-term temporary accommodation.
The profile of tenancy sustainment clients is unique in several respects:
Clients can be support into their late seventies, their total number of needs can be as many as seven, and their mental health diagnoses can be as many as four.
Nearly four in ten female clients have reported domestic abuse or sexual violence in the time that Elmore supports them. This can involve physical harm and financial and economic abuse which empties bank accounts and leaves victims financially ruined. The duration of support needed for victims will be longer and there will be a need for more interventions per client and signposting, particularly around advocacy.
The support Elmore provides to clients through the service includes:
Working with them to address issues affecting tenancy and helping them to keep their home
Providing flexible support based around individual goals
Providing emotional support to improve mental wellbeing and promote recovery
Providing practical support in relation to money, social security entitlements, or debt
Consulting with Oxford City Council’s Tenancy Sustainment team and other agencies as an advocate
Collaborating with them to empower them to make their own life choices
Supporting them to make positive, healthy choices about lifestyle such as exercise, healthy eating, stopping smoking and to attend physical health appointments
Building their confidence and improving self-esteem
Enabling them to build links within their local community to prevent isolation and loneliness
Acting as an advocate to ensure that their voices are heard
Supporting them at court hearings, assessments, and tribunals
Elmore is a founding member of the new Oxfordshire Homelessness Alliance and shares its vision: ‘to work together to prevent and end homelessness and rebuild lives in Oxfordshire’.
The service is commissioned by Oxford City Council. The evaluation was completed by Dr Claire Timlin.
Charlotte Dawson, Service Manager at Elmore Community Services, said: “Safe and secure housing is a human right, but there is much to do for that right to be achieved. In Oxford, Elmore has been helping people to achieve that right by supporting them to stay in their homes. By helping people to sustain their council home tenancies, Elmore's floating support caseworkers have helped Oxford residents and saved the public purse a total of £535K of avoided costs over the last six years."