Mansfield District Council has expanded its homelessness support by taking full ownership of the Housing First project, which supports people with a history of rough sleeping.

The project has opened a dedicated new office within a repurposed block of flats allocated to previously homeless people. The office enables the team to provide intensive, person-centred support to help clients sustain their tenancies, engage with the community and rebuild their lives.

How the project works

Housing First currently supports people living in the dedicated flats, plus 12 additional Mansfield District Council tenants who have experienced long-term homelessness and rough sleeping with multiple and complex support needs.

The people receiving support may have experienced trauma, abuse, violence and cuckooing—where an individual's home has been used by others for activities such as drug dealing or anti-social behaviour.

Louise Kenworthy, project manager for Housing First, said: "Housing First is about so much more than sustaining a tenancy. It's about creating safety, building trust, restoring choice, growing resilience, and helping people to move forward towards their aims and goals. The approach recognises that people don't have to prove they are ready for a home before they can have one."

The team has supported clients experiencing cuckooing, those who had to flee their homes because of threats of violence, and provided support to people with disclosures of trauma and abuse.

Council takeover after six years

The project has been running for around six years but was previously managed by external contractors. Mansfield District Council has now assumed full operational control.

Jill Finnesey, Assistant Director of Housing at Mansfield District Council, said: "Housing First is different, and it's the only one of its kind in Nottinghamshire currently. It's about offering rough sleepers and homeless people that tailored support to help them rebuild their lives, and we know it works. This is the sixth year that the project has been running, and we have seen how it has really turned around the lives of some of our rough sleepers."

Councillor Anne Callaghan, Portfolio Holder for Housing, said: "We recognise the need to support rough sleepers and homeless people and re-house them for whatever issues they have. Our aim is not to hide rough sleepers or homelessness, but to support them going forward and make sure they can have a secure home long-term. We want everyone to know that there is a route off the streets for all rough sleepers in Mansfield."

For more information about homelessness support at Mansfield District Council, visit mansfield.gov.uk/homelessness-housing-advice/homelessness-2