News and events

Homelessness assistance 

If you are eligible for Homeless assistance and threatened with Homelessness within 56 days, you can book an appointment with the Housing Solutions Team at: www.gatewaytohomechoice.org.uk

Booking an appointment at the end of the Enhanced Housing Wizard Form is easy, you will find the link to our appointment booking system within the Next Steps page ‘Worried you have nowhere to live’..

At the appointment, a housing solutions officer will complete a personal housing plan and explore all housing options tailored to the individual

The Housing Solutions Team is currently experiencing extremely high call volumes and emails. We provide an emergency service should anyone find themselves homeless when the offices are closed, anyone who requires this call 01206 769779 – this is not an advice line but only for anyone who is homeless in an emergency and has nowhere to go before to offices open again.

A quick guide on making referrals for greater change

If you can answer YES to all of the below, you can make a referral immediately!

• Your client has lived in Colchester for 5+ years
• Your client is not part of the Home Choice Project
• You have approached other funding venues available and were unsuccessful i.e Essex Living Fund, Glasspool or discretionary housing payments

How to

• A support worker identifies a need for financial support for their client and fills out the form through our link, listing the items type of support the client needs and as well as contextual information.
• We receive this referral, undertake due diligence and ask our questions about how this grant will support long-term stability and or move-on.
• If all is reasonable, the money is then transferred to the organisation and the support worker is responsible for utilising it towards their goal.
• The client is then able to take steps out of homelessness and into long term stability!

Make your referral today

Rent and deposits
We want to support clients into a new tenancy.

Employment and education support
We want to help clients get back into sustainable employment and education.

Vital furnishings Carpets up to £500)
We want to help create a home that supports physical and mental move-on from homelessness.

Minor debt arrears
We can help to clear arrears when all other options have been exhausted.

Contact steph@greaterchange.co.uk for further information

Colchester Highlights 2023

So far this year, we have unlocked over £562,832 of local cost savings to the public purse. That is £35,177 of savings per person we helped in the area.

This encompasses savings on housing, employment, LHA/UC, mental health, substance abuse, other NHS costs, criminal justice and prevention.

Some recent examples of funding look like:

• £1805 towards starting new tenancies
• £250 towards a budget laptop for going to college
• £400 towards rent shortfalls
• £2200+ towards clients getting back into work
• £2000+ towards vital furnishings for new homes

Overall cost savings to local services: £562,832
Total in personalised budgets released: £15,875
Number of clients supported since 2023: 16

Events

Landlord’s Forum: Wednesday 25th October 2023 at 18:00 – 20:00

Find full details and the option to register attendance.