Westminster needed a fit-for-future homelessness system with bespoke features that would support the efficient delivery of the Homelessness Reduction Act

The challenge

At the brink of the Homelessness Reduction Bill passing through the House of Commons, Westminster City Council needed a fit-for-future homelessness system with bespoke features that would support the efficient delivery of the upcoming Homelessness Reduction Act. HOPE was the software chosen to help the council deliver its holistic approach to homelessness.

Westminster’s homelessness strategy The council set out a ten-point plan to tackle and respond to homelessness in the city. Its aims are to 1. prevent more people from becoming homeless in the first place, 2. improve their services and response when people do become homeless and 3. to meet the challenges ahead and have a homelessness system fit for the future.

Tackling the homelessness crisis with hope, HRA software

Since going live in April 2018, Westminster’s hope has processed nearly 20,000 housing advice and over 5,000 homeless applications. Over 1000 cases have been referred through the Duty to Refer. Uniquely to Westminster, the system was configured for use with their key partners, The Passage and Shelter.

Westminster’s system benefits from real-time message functionality, a suite of letters provided by Housing Reviews, tailored statuses, an interactive dashboard and more. In particular, the automated H-CLIC compliance & error checker has helped the council to consistently achieve above 90% H-CLIC returns. A Westminster representative chairs Home Connections’ Solution Design Group, leading the way for hope improvements based on user feedback.

Looking ahead, Westminster has made plans to improve the efficiency of its hope dashboard and workflow automation processes, whilst continuing to work in partnership with Shelter and The Passage.

Interested in our Homelessness Reduction Act software, hope? Find out more