Clarion welcomes 899 formerly homeless households in 12 months
During 2021/22, Clarion Housing Group provided homes for rent to 899 households who were previously homeless.
859 of these households had been staying in temporary accommodation and 40 had been rough sleeping. A further 365 households housed by Clarion needed to move due to domestic abuse. They all now have tenancies in safe and secure Clarion homes.
Barry’s story
Barry became homeless at the beginning of 2020, and eventually lost his job. His desperate circumstances led to him developing substance abuse issues. He ended up having to stay in hotels, or anywhere he could find, to have a roof over his head and life was not very stable.
In August 2020, the local authority, Fenland District Council, placed Barry into a Housing First programme to be able to focus on his recovery. The support provider worked closely with Clarion to find Barry a new permanent home and in December 2020, he moved into his own one-bedroom Clarion home. Since having a safe and secure home, Barry has been able to take the steps he needed to get his life back on track.
Clarion resident Barry commented:
“My advice to anyone would be, when life looks like it’s at its darkest point there is always a way out if you really want it. I would like to thank Clarion and the Housing First programme for all their help, because without them I don’t know where I would be.
“It has not been an easy journey, but with the support I’ve received and having a home to call my own, I have been able to pull myself out of a cycle that wasn’t leading me anywhere.”
The latest homelessness data released by the Department for Levelling Up Housing and Communities shows that the most common reason for homelessness for those local authorities are required to help was family or friends no longer willing to accommodate them. The second most common reason was domestic abuse.
With over one million households currently on the waiting list for a home, Clarion works hard to ensure it makes the best use of its homes and that they are going to those who need them most. Close to 100% of its homes were occupied during 2021/22 and it built 2,276 new homes - 86% of which were for affordable tenures.
Clare Miller, Group Chief Executive at Clarion, said:
“At Clarion, our purpose is to provide and maintain homes for those that need them most. Nobody should live without a roof over their head, or have to choose between the threat of abuse and homelessness.
“I am pleased we have been able to provide a secure home for hundreds of vulnerable individuals over the last year. It is at the core of what we are here to do.”