One Darlington Sept 2020

Facing homelessness?
You have options
Lockdown created challenges for us all, but
our dedicated housing options team managed
to keep the homelessness service going to
ensure support for those with housing issues
and with nowhere to go.
Although the team was unable to see clients face to
face, working from home they spoke to 320 people
over the phone, with a variety of queries including
those with nowhere to stay that night, issues with
landlords, or falling out with friends and family.
They also carried out 119 planned appointments
with people threatened with homelessness; placed
139 people into emergency accommodation and
helped 15 households into longer term temporary
accommodation. All of these people have since
been helped to find somewhere to stay longer term.
While Darlington currently has very few people
sleeping rough, there is a high proportion of people
who are at risk of homelessness. It is those people
who find they have run out of options, and who we
have supported during lockdown.
Although lockdown has now started to ease, the
problems of homelessness have not gone away
and we anticipate demand for the service will
increase once courts are able to start evictions
again, as well as those people suffering as a result
of increases in domestic abuse and relationship
breakdown.
If you have any housing issues please call 405333
and ask for the housing options team. The sooner
you get in touch, the easier it is support you.
For more information visit www.darlington.gov.uk/homeslessness
www.darlington.gov.uk/homelessness one Darlington 27