Croydon Council claims that reforms of its housing department has seen the authority reduce its costs by £13.5million a year, receive an additional £4.5million in benefit payments, and halve its homelessness assessment waiting times by more than half.
The reality: rates of homelessness and rough sleeping in Croydon are on the rise
The reforms were begun two years ago, in part in response to the council’s review of its housing department’s failings highlighted by the scandal around the state of council flats at Regina Road.
As well as bringing its repairs service call centre in-house, Croydon’s housing department has put fresh focus on homelessness prevention and early help as part of its improvement drive.
The council identified people in temporary accommodation who were not receiving their correct housing benefit. “New rent accounts have been set up for these tenants who are now claiming benefits and as a result, the council has received an additional £4.5million of unclaimed housing benefit income,” the council said in a statement this week.
“The council has supported 2,700 households in temporary accommodation to activate their housing register applications, which allows residents to take an active role and bid for available council and housing association properties.”
Council officials have also worked more closely with homelessness charities Crisis and St Mungo’s to make the housing advice and homelessness application form easier to complete.
“Residents needing help with their housing situation are now assessed and supported with a personalised housing plan to help resolve issues,” the council says.
“This has already resulted in new temporary accommodation placement rates reducing from 60% to 25%, freeing up the accommodation for those who need it in an emergency, and reduced the cost to the council by approximately £13.5million a year.”
A Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy 2024-2029 has been developed in detailed consultation with residents, partners and staff, to ensure that the council fulfils its legal obligations.
Jason Perry, the Mayor of Croydon, described the council’s task in dealing with rising rates of homelessness in the borough as “a real challenge”.
He said: “It is great to acknowledge that a lot has been done, that we are seeing people more quickly and making it easier for residents to get in touch when they need us.
“We know there is much more to do and we will continue to work with our residents and partners as we continue to transform the service.”
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ROTTEN BOROUGH AWARDS: In January 2024, Croydon was named among the country’s rottenest boroughs for a SEVENTH successive year in the annual round-up of civic cock-ups in Private Eye magazine
A walk from East Croydon Station to the bottom of Church Street will show you how well these so called reforms are working. They are acts to limit the scope of who the council has to help and increase benefit claims to raise income like a demented benefit fraudster. Reckon we will have to wait for the DWP fraud estmates to find out how much is being overpaid by the DWP. These reforms have done nothing to tackle the terrible state of affairs of street homelessness that is encountered everyday and which has been normalised under the appalling system of governance provided in this country.
In one of my previous jobs we had to meet visitors at East Croydon and escort them into town. It became known as ‘The Walk of Shame’.