Home Connections has been commissioned by the Greater London Authority to run an innovative project to develop the linkages between choice based lettings (CBL) with employment opportunities and services. The project is called the Housing Employment Connections project (HECs) and it will run for 8 months and is supported by several local authorities, housing associations and specialist employment providers across London.The project will seek to introduce and integrate employment information and services to existing and potential social tenants when they bid (apply) for properties in London.

“Home Connections is excited about forging links between CBL and jobs. We want to transform the culture of housing lettings services from one of dependency to empowerment” said Chief Executive of Home Connections Ninesh Muthiah.“We’re looking forward to working with our partners on this project to create a new dynamic between employment services and CBL opportunities” he adds.

Peabody Trust Chief Executive Stephen Howlett said: ‘’we are working in communities with long-term unemployed people to help them gain the confidence and skills they need to get a job through our network of neighbourhood learning centres.

‘’This project is an excellent way of supporting and encouraging those people who are able, to enter the world of work.’’

The practice and functionality developed in this project may be incorporated into existing CBL schemes and any future pan London choice based lettings and mobility scheme. Cambridge University will be involved in monitoring and evaluating the outcomes from the project.

London has the highest proportion of adults in England outside the formal labour market. Within the capital there is a growing link between worklessness and housing tenure: almost two thirds of all workless households in London now occupy social rented accommodation. Just over 50 per cent of all social renting working age households are not in work, compared with 19 per cent of private renters and seven per cent of owner-occupiers.

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For further information visit www.home-connections.co.uk

Or contact:
Ninesh Muthiah, Home Connections Consortium (07984 884 343)
Ninesh.muthiah@homeconnections.org.uk

Joe McLoughlin, Home Connections Consortium (07939 825 164)
Joe.mcloughlin@homeconnections.org.uk

Notes to editors:

• Home Connections is a not for profit company owned by Local Authorities and Registered Social Landlords (RSLs). Home Connections provides CBL directly to a third of London Boroughs, Birmingham City Council (Europe’s largest social landlord) and 15 RSLs.
• The department of Communities and Local Government expects all registered social landlords to be operating a choice-based lettings service by 2010.