A new service is being commissioned in Kingston that is hoped to prevent people from becoming homeless, by identifying risks early on.

Fresh Start will work with people who have debt problems, abuse alcohol, drugs or other substances, are unemployed or have family or relationship breakdowns.

Lisa Moodie, leader of the Fresh Start intervention workers, said: “In Kingston, Fresh Start supports both families and individuals at risk of becoming homeless. Our intervention workers start with a holistic assessment of a client’s situation, looking at the root causes of their tenancy issues and identifying what support they need.

“Fresh Start offers more than signposting. Our intervention workers support clients to access these services by attending initial meetings with them and helping them to build those relationships.

“Key to our approach is resilience and independence. If we can help people to connect more with their local community and to build up their network of support, the next time they run into difficulty, they’ll know what to do."

The Homelessness Reduction Act, coming into effect from April 2018, means councils will have to work to prevent and relieve homelessness.

Kingston, Sutton and Merton councils have been given £1 million from the Department of Communities and Local Government to trial this new scheme, run by homelessness charity SPEAR.

Councillor Cathy Roberts, portfolio holder for Housing at Kingston Council, said: “It is a trial to see if we can prevent people spiralling into crisis, at which point it is extremely challenging and costly to house them because we don’t have a readily available supply of council housing. No local authority does, and the outcomes of our Fresh Start trial will help inform homelessness prevention programmes across the country.

“Never before have we taken such a rounded, holistic view of a person’s situation or worked with the individuals or families that might otherwise fall through the cracks because they have some level of need but not enough to receive an offer of formal support from the council.

“Connecting people with their community and helping them to address the underlying issues impacting their tenancy, is a much more effective, self-sufficient and sustainable approach to preventing homelessness.”

To refer a person or family to the programme, or to self-refer, email fsreferral@spearlondon.org for information.