By Harry Mottram: Bath has a problem with hidden homelessness – that is those who don’t have a permanent home but sleep on the sofas of friends and family, camp out, stay temporarily in bed and breakfast or hostels or seek temporary housing with a charity.
Emily Hatrey is the manager for Curo’s temporary accommodation service in Bath and the surrounding area.
She said they have 23 households as part of the supported housing project in Bath, plus flats throughout the area.
After studying sociology at Southampton University she has worked in social housing with the last seven years for Curo.
“It was the aspect of social inequality that, leads to life outcomes for some people,” she said, “I did a piece on social housing as part of the degree and I found it interesting and that led to some work experience with a housing association in Stroud.”
Curo are contracted by the Council to deliver temporary housing for those in need.
There’s been a rise in people being evicted by private landlords as interest rates on their mortgages rise and make renting uneconomical or a need to sell the property for other reasons leading to evictions.
For a single parent with a good job that can still mean they cannot simply rent somewhere else immediately due to the high cost of rents. A quick look on the internet will tell you a two bed flat in Bath is over £2,000 a month to rent in many cases.
Those at risk of homelessness need to contact Bath and North East Somerset Council’s housing options team on 01225 396296. They will refer candidates to Curo having assessed their needs.
Curo’s emergency accommodation is also in need of donations of quality kitchen equipment, white goods and sheets and pillow cases. To donate call 01225 315973.
Emily said Curo works with Clean Slate – the debt solving people in Bath – plus The Genesis Trust who help those in need and with furniture, also get help from the St John’s group, plus the Citizens Advice Bureau whose advice is invaluable for anyone concerned about losing their home – they can be called on 0808 278 7897 or you can call in at Manvers Street at their One Stop Shop.
The photo is from The Big Issue. To subscribe to the magazine that helps to end homelessness or to to find more about the Big Issue visit: https://www.bigissue.com/
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