Agenda item

The Housing Development and Enabling Manager presented the Homelessness Prevention Grant Funding 2026/27 to 2028/29 (including Rough Sleeper Grant) and Domestic Abuse Grant report.

Members were advised that Government had typically awarded funding on an annual basis, however a ring-fenced grant for a three-year period had been awarded from 2026.

It was recommended that this funding be awarded to partners that worked closely with Redditch Borough Council to provide valuable homelessness prevention services. The grant would be allocated to the services outlined within the report, with the addition of a new service that would be delivered by the Citizens Advice Bureau. This service aimed to prevent homelessness for homeowners who were facing repossession and would also extend to tenants in private rented accommodation.

The Committee was informed that this grant would not cover the cost for services related to temporary accommodation, which were currently being met through the Homelessness Prevention Grant for Temporary Accommodation. Instead, the Council would be receiving funding from Government through the Revenue Support Grant which would be used for temporary accommodation services from April 2026.

The Chair informed Members that a recommendation from the Overview and Scrutiny Committee had been proposed at a meeting held on 12^th January 2026. Details of the recommendation were tabled at this meeting.

Members were of the opinion that the additional recommendation was sensible given that funding had been granted for a three-year period. This would enable monitoring to be carried out each year and would ensure that all grant funding was spent, with any leftover funding being allocated appropriately.

In concluding discussions on the report, Members thanked the Portfolio Holder and the officers involved in formulating the strategy. It was remarked that this long-term plan would ensure stability of the Council and ensure that its role would be fulfilled in relation to preventing homelessness.

RECOMMENDED that

1) Temporary Accommodation Services currently met by Homelessness Prevention Grant are now met from the Temporary Accommodation element of the Revenue Support Grant 2026/27,2027/28 and 2028/29.

2) Subject to approval of recommendation 1 above by Council, the initiatives detailed in the table below be approved to receive the Council’s Homelessness Prevention and Rough Sleeping Grant and Domestic Abuse Grant allocations of funding for 2026/27, 2027/28 and2028/29, subject to satisfactory performance; and should additional funding be announced at a later date by the Government for subsequent years then this would need to be the subject of a further report.

RESOLVED that

3) Subject to the agreement of recommendations 1 and 2 above, delegated authority be granted to the Assistant Director of Community and Housing Services, following consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Housing, to use any unallocated Grants, or Homelessness Prevention Grant mid-year top up, during each year or make further adjustments and uplifts as necessary to ensure full utilisation of the Grants for 2026/27, 2027/28 and 2028/29 in support of existing or new schemes.

Proposed Allocation of Homelessness Prevention Grant

Proposed allocation of Domestic Abuse Grant

4) Officers provide an annual update in respect of the Homelessness Prevention Grant initiatives that received Council funding.