Lewisham Council is one of the over 50 local authorities that have joined Homefinder UK to access extra social housing across the UK.

The challenge

Lewisham Council is a London borough with a very high demand for social housing. With over 10,000 people on their housing waiting list, the Council struggled to provide move-on alternatives, especially for those who didn't meet their priority criteria.

The solution

Lewisham Council subscribed to Homefinder UK, our national mobility service, to expand the housing options they could offer to those who needed permanent social housing quicker than the Council could provide.

Jemima Harrison, Housing Solutions Team Leader at Lewisham Council, commented:

"From the moment we joined Homefinder UK, we embedded the partnership as a core part of our homeless interviews and personal housing plans. Our approach was to be realistic about waiting times for London housing and always offering Homefinder UK as an alternative."

Lewisham trained and equipped the staff to recognise which household would benefit from Homefinder UK and to provide all the information and support home seekers needed to be confident in their decision to move out of the borough.

Through workshops, Lewisham's clients received guidance on applying for financial support and comprehensive information packages on housing options. In addition, the Council ensured to be inclusive to vulnerable applicants by offering financial assistance for rent arrears, advance rent payments, and travel or removal costs on a case-by-case basis.

The result

The partnership between Homefinder UK and Lewisham has been one of the most successful among Homefinder UK's members. Lewisham helped over 130 families into permanent social housing in a different part of the UK, thanks to the unique case management service provided by Homefinder UK.

Over 130 families and individuals are no longer stuck in temporary accommodation, at threat of domestic abuse, sofa surfing or eviction. By rehousing households via Homefinder UK, Lewisham Council has also saved over £580,000 on Temporary Accommodation costs.