Lincolnshire's £17m supported housing plans explained
Lincolnshire County Council is planning to change the way it houses young people who are homeless, in its care, or have just left.
The authority says it would tackle costly out-of-county placements by offering better options for young people closer to home.
Amongst the proposals, 44 self-contained rooms would be commissioned across Boston, Grantham and Lincoln for 16 and 17-year-olds, with 24/7 support available for those who need it. This would cost £10million over five years.
Two lots of four solo accommodation will also be commissioned at £3.5million each, which could be potentially used for over-18s who have just left care. Services would help them transition into adulthood, and ensure they’re not left at risk of becoming homeless.
The council has struggled to get young people into its housing with shared facilities, meaning they’re sometimes left empty. It hopes these self-contained units will be a better fit and offer better value for money.
Children’s services continue to put pressure on the council’s budget, with the cost of youth housing going £2million over budget across the last two years. Councillor Natalie Oliver, who leads children’s services, is set to approve these plans later this month.