Employers in Sefton are being urged to sign up to the new Homelessness Covenant and support people at risk of or experiencing homelessness, including those ‘sofa surfing’ or in temporary accommodation.
Six months after the Covenant was launched in September 2023 by homelessness charity Crisis and the Department for Work and Pensions, 160 leading national businesses have already signed up.
The Covenant encourages employers to provide the support needed for anyone to secure and maintain a job and reap the health and financial benefits that employment offers.
Last month, Sefton was given a further £612,999 to help prevent homelessness in the Borough.
Crisis Chief Executive, Matt Downie said:
“Work can be a powerful tool for ending homelessness and preventing it from happening in the first place. When work is decent, well-paid, and supported by inclusive employment practices and flexible policies, it can be a pathway to stability and security.
“It’s been really positive to see the response to the Homelessness Covenant since it launched last year, with businesses from a range of sectors demonstrating a real desire to address the issue.
“Crisis is committed to continuing to advise and support employers, helping them to put the policies and practices in place to build truly inclusive workplaces.”
Businesses can find out more about the Homelessness Covenant, best practice guide, and how to sign up online at
https://www.crisis.org.uk/get-involved/homelessness-covenant
Further changes mean that from next month, 1.6 million of the lowest income private renters will gain around £800 a year from increased Local Housing Allowance rates, following changes last year which gave around 200,000 Universal Credit claimants quicker support with their mortgage.
