CITY of York Council says it is extending a programme that seeks to increase support for homeless people in the city.

The council has plans to extend its 'Resettlement Pathway', which supports rough sleepers and single homeless people through hostels, shared housing and into settled tenancies.

The review, which involved input from people who have experience of homelessness, hopes to extend the council's support to further prevent the revolving door which can still see some people move from street sleeping into hostels and shared houses but then end up back on the street.

Cllr Denise Craghill, executive member for housing and safer communities, said: "The first stage of this review has shown that an intensive, first point of contact delivers better outcomes.

"By offering open-ended, tailored and intensive support at their first encounter with single homeless people on the streets, the street navigators have led many rough sleepers to engage with services, successfully keep their accommodation and break the cycle of recurrent homelessness.

"Moving into a home with consistent and effective wraparound support and maintaining that home as a lasting, safe space improves life expectancy, independence and a higher quality of life."

The second phase of the review will focus on the contracts that deliver hostels, shared houses and other supported accommodation in 2023.

However, York Labour spokesperson for housing, Cllr Michael Pavlovic, said: "The council’s resettlement pathway for single homeless people, particularly the street homeless, is fine in principle, but in reality it is not backed up with decent options of accommodation and the wraparound support that’s required. 

"The council says a review of hostel provision and other housing options will come in phase two later this year, but what good is that to someone on the street who needs housing and other support now?

"The nature of the complex problems that many people on the street are experiencing means putting them into a hostel isn’t going to work.

"This is often the council’s current approach that results in the revolving door of homelessness as people are kicked out of hostels onto the street again. 

"This review needs to be better joined up and planned so that single homeless people have a better chance of escaping this repeat cycle of being on and off the street time and time again”.

The council says the services it already offers support people who often have complex needs, and unsettled and risk-filled lives, such as substance misues and mental health problems, and have been in and out of homelessness for years. 

The Housing Navigator programme is based on early intervention and provides longer term and persistent support that is tailored to individual needs, the council says.

It says it has shown to be effective with people who are unwilling or unable to engage. 

The programme will enable people with complex needs into more permanent accommodation, to work with landlords, and to co-ordinate support packages to increase the chances of success, the council said.