Where to get help.

Summary of Availability in Gloucester:   

  • P3 Supported Accomodation –Mon to Fri 10 to 5pm from 13 Ladybellegate street office.
  • CGL -  CGL Gloucestershire - Imperial Chambers 41/43 Longsmith Street. New Integrtaed Drug and alcohol recovery service for Gloucestershire, read here, commenced on the 1st January 2017. Also drop-in at GCM on Wed. CGL's refreshed web site, Juy 2017. ARA - Addiction Recovery Agency.  working in conjunction with Change Grow Live together with Emerging Futures cic for aftercare.

  • CAB – Mon to Fri 09:30 to 15:30. They also do telephone and email advice.

  • GreenSq – information on their website of various drop in locations and times. https://www.greensquaregroup.com/customers/care-and-support-options/gloucestershire-housing-support/drop-ins. 

  • Gloucester City Council – Customer Reception Mon to Fri 9am to 3pm at Herbert warehouse. If you require emergency housing assistance between 3pm - 5pm please contact 01452 396538. After 5pm please contact 01452 614194. Homeless or At Risk? click HERE for link to Council web site for helpful info. about homelessness, rough sleepers, and how to apply for Social Housing
  • HHT – for general and mental health at the George Whitefield Centre alongside a housing support worker (Matt Knight and/or Steve Pankhurst.)
  • GCM - Tues & Fri 2-4pm and Wed 11-12:30pm. 
  • GARAS – (only for non-uk clients) – drop in centre 10 to 4 Mon, Wed and Fri.
  • Youth Support team – (for clients aged 16 to 19.) Mon to Fro 9 to 5 from main Gloucester office or call the Fast Track Team on 01452 547540.

Lastly, there is the emergency duty, out-of-hours, team if it cannot wait for a drop in (01452 614194) and Nightstop for young people http://www.gloucestershirenightstop.org.uk/ 

Further information on each of the services above will be on their websites. 

Please also remember anyone who is rough sleeping can be directed to the P3 drop-in service, but may not be seen out of office hours, and also referred to P3 (was St Mungos until Jan 2017) via Streetlink as follows:

Street Link Referrals - 0300 5000914 or 

http://www.streetlink.org.uk

It is preferrable to download the Streetlink app from Google Play or the Apple store and refer direct.; the app will note your location via gps. Note: if you downloaded an old version of the Streetlink app, you will need to download the latest version due to problems with the original, no feedback etc (Dated: Dec 2017)

Street Outreach Team - P3. - Senior Street Outreach Worker, (also covers Gloucester); Street Outreach Worker (Stroud and Gloucester); Street Outreach Worker (Cheltenham and Cotswolds); Street Outreach Worker (Forest and Tewkesbury). For urgent issues re rough sleepers please contact your area Outreach Worker or the Senior Outreach Worker on .......tba.

County Homelessness Coordinator

County Homelessness Coordinator, 01285 623248. Part time based at: Cotswold District Council – Monday & Friday, Gloucester City Council – Wednesday.

 

SignPost Cards. Homeless or Vulnerably Housed...Where to get food & drink.

http://www.gloscitymission.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/GCM-Signpost-Cards-x4-V14.pdf

 

Homeless Services.

GCM. Listen to the talk given by Dave Kinghorn, GCM, at St Andrews on the 14th Oct 2018. Click on following link:

https://new.standrewschurchdown.org.uk/mediacast/gloucester-city-mission/

Gloucester City Mission. Seen as a critical and stable resource as a first point of contact within the NSNO standard. The George Whitefield Centre HUB, with GCM, the HHT and Glos Foodbank is seen as an example of Best Practice. The completion of the project to install showers and clothes washing facilities for the homeless at the new George Whitefield Centre in Great Western Road, and its official opening, took place just before Christmas 2016. The funding came from Rotary in Gloucester and a large donation, from the efforts of Rotarian Mina, now based in Adelaide, who with her sister, Bridget, undertook a sponsored swim around the Scilly Isles.

Note: Following the Forum meeting on the 7th September 2016, it was confirmed that all homeless individuals should be first directed or accompanied to, the City Council Homeless Team at Herbert Warehouse, Mon to Fri 9:30 to 3. 'Homeless or threatened with homelessness' click here. 'Homeless or at Risk' click here. There is an action point to raise issues of concern with GCC. Do not be fobbed off by the City Council if you are told to go to say P3.

You are entitled to make a homelessness application. Read Crisis Report, The Hidden Truth's about homelessness. Statutory duties are placed upon local authorities to provide advice and assistance to single homeless people. The Forum would like to see all local authorities required to collect information about the housing circumstances of all single homeless applicants.

Shelter - Downloads and Tools

Gloucester City Council Housing & Homelessness Strategy 2015-2020

Gloucester City Council - 396509/10.  Assessment of prioirity need under the Housing Act. Can provide temporary accomodation for those assessed as pregnant, or vulnerable because of age (60+), disability or experiencing violence. Gloucester City Council Housing Advice (office hours): 01452 396396.

Council Housing authorities must give proper consideration to all applications for housing assistance, and if they have reason to believe that an applicant may be homeless or threatened with homelessness, they must make inquiries to see whether they owe them any duty under Part 7 of the 1996 Act.

Homelessness Legislation.

Statutory Guidance: Guidance on how local authorities should exercise their homelessness functions in accordance with the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017 from 3 April 2018.

Local housing and social services authorities must have regard to this guidance when exercising their functions relating to people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.

You can also download a copy of the Homelessness code of guidance (PDF).

From 3 April to 19 June 2018 this version of the guidance (PDF) was in force.

See also the Local Government Association procedures for referrals to another local authority (external link).

 

Statutory Homeless Guidance.

National Homelessness Advice Service - Vulnerability and Priority Need.

Note: The Forum does not agree with the local authorities reluctance to provide humanitarian showers, toilets and washing facilities for homeless individuals such as at a NSNO Day Centre. The Forum does not understand this stance when the LA has signed up to NSNO where Day Centres are seen as a critical resource. The LA's view that these facilities attract the homeless to Gloucester is unacceptable. Does the LA also accept that Gloucester Royal Hospital attracts the sick to Gloucester?

Extract from Homelessness and Prevention and Statistical Release April - June 2016. 'The term ‘homeless’ is often used to refer to people who are sleeping rough. However, a household will be considered as statutorily homeless by their local authority if they meet specific criteria set out in legislation (see page 21). Such households are rarely homeless in the literal sense of being without a roof over their heads, but are more likely to be threatened with the loss of, or are unable to continue with, their current accommodation.

Broadly speaking, somebody is statutorily homeless if they do not have accommodation that they have a legal right to occupy, which is accessible and physically available to them (and their household) and which it would be reasonable for them to continue to live in. It would not be reasonable for someone to continue to live in their home, for example, if that was likely to lead to violence against them (or a member of their family).

In cases where an authority is satisfied that an applicant is eligible for assistance, is in priority need, and has become homeless through no fault of their own, the authority will owe a main homelessness duty to secure settled accommodation for that household. Such households are referred to as acceptances.

Priority need groups include households with dependent children and/or a pregnant woman and individuals who are vulnerable in some way. Individuals are classed as vulnerable if they: have mental illness or physical disability; are a young person (16 to 17 years old, or 18 to 20 years old and vulnerable as a result of previously being in care); were vulnerable as a result of previously being in custody; were vulnerable as a result of previously being in HM Forces; or were forced to flee their home because of violence or the threat of violence.

When a main duty is owed the authority must ensure that suitable accommodation is available until a settled home becomes available. Households are either assisted to remain in their existing accommodation (duty owed, no accommodation secured) or are placed in temporary accommodation to await an offer of settled accommodation.

When a main duty is not owed (e.g. where the household is found to be intentionally homeless, not in priority need or not homeless), the authority must make an assessment of their housing needs and provide advice and assistance to help them find accommodation for themselves. Where an applicant falls into a priority need group but is intentionally homeless the authority must ensure that accommodation is available for a reasonable time to allow the household to find a home.'

 

You can ask your local council's housing department for help if you've nowhere to stay or are likely to lose your home in the next 28 days. The council is legally required to give you advice and help you to find a place to live. Depending on your situation, they may have to provide accommodation for you. Go to Gloucester City Councils Homeless or threatened with homelessness web site.

If you are aged 16 or 17, you are normally entitled to housing and support from social services. In most cases it will be social services that have to take responsibility for finding you somewhere to live, rather than the housing department of the council. 

Gloucestershire Nightstop is a charity that works directly with single young homeless people aged 16-25 across the county of Gloucestershire.

The Housing and Homeless charity Shelter gives housing advice, advice such as finding a place to live, paying for a home, emergency housing, help from the Council etc. They have a useful leaflet called, 'Homeless? Read this'. and link  https://england.shelter.org.uk/housing_advice/homelessness/guide/homeless_get_help_from_the_council/how_the_council_can_help

 

Homeless Healthcare Team.

An award winning Health Clinic operated from the GEAR day centre and was run in partnership with GEAR and the Gloucestershire Primary Care Trust. While the GEAR Day Centre closed, the Homeless Homeless Health Team were still operating out of The Vaughan Centre but then ELIM sold the Centre to Markey Builders. There were major concerns that the HHT were to be evicted in June 2015, extended to end July. At the end of July ELIM/GEAR moved out to Deakin House, 51 Park Road, with GEARs 'Time to Heal' project and GEARs two 4 bedroomed dry houses in Stroud Road. The dry houses, owned by the Koinonia Trust and managed by GEAR, allow former addicts to stay for up to nine months to help with their rehabilitation and to find a career; read more. 

The HHT were not made homeless and rented the Vaughan Centre off Markey Builders on a monthly basis while they looked for other premises. Surgery times are GP led, generally four mornings a week, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday 10am - 12pm. Nurse led everyday. For information on services provided by the HHT click here. For an update on the HHT click here.

The HHT have now moved to the George Whitefield Centre, Great Western Road.

It was very good news to hear from Healthwatch that the HHT are an excellent example of Best Practice in homeless health care.

 

St Mungo's Broadway.

From the 1st January 2017, following another tendering process, St Mungo's lost out to P3. St Mungo's themselves funded the Outreach Service for the last few months in 2016 as there was no LG funding, we thank St Mungo's.

Looking Back: St Mungo's were awarded a contract on 1st April 2015 for provision of Gloucestershire wide Assertive Outreach Service. Read more. Three outreach workers operate across the county. They did not have a open office and were not operational 24/7 which was seen by the Forum as a major problem. They could only be contacted through the National Rough Sleeping phone number, web site or app all operated by Street Link. If you used the app there was no feedback due to a fault which put people off using it. The Forum encourages everyone to persevere as data is used by central government, the more referrals the more chance of increased funding. 

There are several different factors they have to investigate before looking at temporary accommodation; these include risk assessment, physical health, mental health, etc. Most importantly they have to verify a client as being homeless as a first step. A homeless application needs to be taken as well. After this work is completed they would then look at if accommodation is possible/appropriate accommodation.

St Mungo's asked for volunteers with the above..... there are several ways you could have helped.
(See the presentation at the faith forum which gives full information, link available in the Minutes of the 7th September 2016), such as:

* Take the client to complete a homelessness application with their local authority straight away. This way the client may be picked up without needing outreach involvement.
* If the client is in receipt of benefits look into local housing that accepts HB payments.
* Fundraising for City Mission so you can help with temp accommodation while more permanent housing is being sought by other agencies.

 

Turning Point.

Following competitive tendering processes Turning Point were commissioned to deliver fully integrated Drug and Alcohol Services across Gloucestershire, Wiltshire and East Kent. Key to the delivery in each of the three regions was the use of local hubs and mobile outreach vehicles, making it easier for people to access the support they need. For more info Roads to Recovery.

From the 1st January 2017 following another tendering process, Turning Point lost out to CGL. 

 

P3

P3 took over the provision of the County Councils Homelessness service from GEAR in 2013. Read more. The Council now follow the 'No Second Night Out' approach. P3 provide an assessment centre, flats & hostels, undertake assessments, reconnections, etc., Rough sleepers are referred to P3 by Outreach Workers from P3, was St Mungo's. Read Citizen article for more.

P3 drop-in service for rough sleepers is at 13 Ladybellegate Street, Gloucester, GL1 2HN. It’s open 10-5 Monday – Friday and the telephone number is 01452 221698. Ray Donaghue is the person to contact. Note: As P3 are very busy, Ladybellgate is often not a drop-in service. You may need to call and arrange an appointment for the next day. This is not in accordance with NSNO as signed up to by the County and Ditricts. The homeless person will often be left at risk on the street for another night. We do not have a NSNO Day Centre as the authoritys say it is not needed due to the few numbers but this not as evidenced on the street. Concerns then with individuals ending their lives (Gloucester is the suicide hot spot in the south west ).  

P3 also have a drop in on Saturday and Sunday at 72 Worcester Street 10.00am – 5pm.

Please continue to complete a streetlink referral for roughsleepers.

 

GreenSquare.

From June 2015 there was a new approach to ensure that people in Gloucestershire who need support to live independently get the right support, at the right time, and in the right place. The new community-based housing-related support service is delivered locally by two providers selected by Gloucestershire County Council and representatives of the Supporting People Partnership. GreenSquare lead on the delivery in Gloucester, Forest of Dean and Tewkesbury; and the social inclusion charity P3 lead on delivering services in Cheltenham, Cotswolds and Stroud. Read more.

 

Worried you might lose your home?
Rent or mortgage arrears? 
Living in unsuitable accommodation?
Threatened with eviction? 
Need help budgeting or with benefits?

 

To get in touch: Read more.


Phone: 01452 726951

Email: glos.support@greensquaregroup.com

 

Homeless Link.

A national membership charity for organisations working directly with people who become homeless in England. Work to make services better and campaign for policy change that will help end homelessness - See more here.