Government funding boost for housing services

City of Wolverhampton Council has been successful with a bid for more than £450,000 of government funding to help alleviate pressures on housing services from new communities and provide benefits to all city residents.

The award comes following an application in partnership with the Refugee and Migrant Centre (RMC).

It is part of £16 million allocated to local authorities nationally in the latest round of Controlling Migration Funding (CMF) for targeted projects in housing, education and health services.

The money for the City of Wolverhampton will be used to provide extra resourcing to help reduce homelessness and exploitation by rogue landlords in the private rented sector by improving access to and the sustainability of private rented housing for vulnerable people, including new communities.

Councillor Peter Bilson, City of Wolverhampton Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for City Assets and Housing, said:

“We are delighted the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG) has recognised the work we are doing in the City of Wolverhampton by awarding this funding.

“We have a rich diverse culture in the city and we want to ensure all communities have access to key services, support and advice to help them integrate into society. This is supported through our close partnership with the RMC.

“Our housing team has been very proactive in engaging with tenants and landlords in the private rented sector through our Rent with Confidence scheme and the CMF money will be used to ensure everyone benefits from healthy living standards.”

The City of Wolverhampton project will also see the recruitment of two Local Authority Asylum Support Liaison Officers (LAASLO)s working in the voluntary sector with the RMC.

They will assist with the integration of adults and families granted asylum, helping to minimise rates of homelessness, rough sleeping, poor health, economic hardship and social isolation, and improve proficiency in the English language.

Nationally, the pilot scheme will see 35 LAASLOs in 19 local authorities. They will also facilitate those not granted refugee status to voluntarily return to their country of origin.