Homelessness Support Services Framework

Oldham Council currently commission two main contracts for single homeless people:

• A Bed Every Night
• Rough Sleeping Initiative

A Bed Every Night

A Bed Every Night (ABEN) is a Greater Manchester-wide initiative providing accommodation and support to people who are sleeping rough or at severe and imminent risk of doing so. There are currently 28/29 bed spaces across three buildings, including 6 which are dedicated to people with no recourse to public funds.

The ABEN provider is required to provide building management services and support staff to all three sites, with the main building, an 18-bed unit, acting a central hub. Residents should receive one-to-one support to help them maintain their accommodation and the Provider should work in conjunction with the Council’s Move-On Support Officer to help them secure new accommodation, so they do not have to live in ABEN for longer than is necessary. The provision of efficient housing management services such as administering licence agreements, dealing with antisocial behaviour, and monitoring CCTV is a crucial day to day element of this contract, alongside ensuring the welfare of the residents is promoted.

The provider for this contract is monitored on key performance outcomes including the timely completion of housing benefit claims, void turnover and maintaining successful placements.

Rough Sleeping Initiative (RSI)

RSI is a central government funding stream and contracts under this funding stream are subject to change, but currently Oldham Council commission a Rough Sleeper Navigator. The Navigator works as part of the wider RSI Team with particularly complex cases in their cohort who require additional support to access and maintain engagement with services. For example, those who require additional time to build trust or who may be excluded from mainstream access routes. The Navigator is also expected to build and have access to volunteering resources and pathways, including people with lived experience.

Other opportunities which are present within the RSI Team include Outreach, Coordination and health roles including Dual Diagnosis.

Other services the Council may require at present or in the future may include:

• Building management within temporary accommodation schemes ensuring the smooth running such as:
• Void management and allocations
• Housing benefit administration
• Health and safety and fire checks
• General housing management including antisocial behaviour response
• Concierge
• Staffing within temporary accommodation schemes providing one-to-one support and risk management to residents
• Outreach
• Navigation
• Advocacy
• Mediation

Over the course of the framework period other services relating to homelessness support may be included and the successful supplier would be required to deliver.