Supported housing funding during coronavirus

We know that many of our supported housing members have been facing substantial costs as a result of the coronavirus outbreak. Keeping vital services running while facing a loss of income from vacant homes and extra staffing and PPE costs has been our members’ main priority.

We know there will be long-term effects from this, and we have been making the case for more secure funding streams to cover the full range of housing-related support services that our members provide.

To support you during the coronavirus outbreak we have put together a list of current funding streams available, while we continue to push for long-term support funding. 

1. Increased funding via local authorities

Some members have received an uplift in support contracts from local authorities to cover increased costs and keep services running but this varies throughout local authorities. Some have offered to provide extra funding for specific purposes, such as covering the cost of PPE for frontline staff. Others have extended contracts which were due to be retendered but have not provided an uplift in funding. However, some authorities were not prepared to engage in conversations about contracts or funding at all.

2. Government funding for homelessness and rough sleeping

The government has announced that it will be fast-tracking funding to make long-term homes available for rough sleepers who have been placed in temporary accommodation during the coronavirus outbreak. This means that:

• The funding will ensure 3,300 homes will be made available over the next 12 months. This will be achieved by accelerating some of the funding for rough sleeping services announced in the Spring Budget, where the government pledged to provide 6,000 homes in total.
• The government has also committed an extra £52m extra funding from what was announced in the Budget, meaning £433m will be made available over a four-year period (£160m will be made available this year).

We will monitor further announcements closely and update this webpage when this funding has been allocated or bidding is opened.

3. Funding for small domestic violence charities

On 7 May the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, Robert Jenrick, announced that small charities providing domestic violence services would be able to bid for a share of £10m, as part of a wider £76m funding package to support vulnerable groups during the coronavirus pandemic. An additional £6m was also made available for frontline homeless charities.

Find out more about how to bid for funding and download an application form.

4. Infection Control Fund for care homes

A new £600m Infection Control Fund was announced on 15 May to tackle the spread of coronavirus in care homes. The new fund is ring-fenced for social care and administered through local authorities. To be eligible for funding, local authorities needed to submit a social care provider support plan by 29 May, these should now be published on their websites. 

More information is available on the gov.uk website.

5. Nationwide Community Grants for Local Housing Projects

Nationwide are giving charities £4m in Community Grants of up to £50,000 each to help people find a home, prevent them from losing their home or help them to thrive at home. With this fund, Nationwide want to support local housing projects that will strengthen local communities and support the most vulnerable.

The fund will support projects which last up to a maximum of two years and will fund between 50% to 100% of the total cost of projects, up to a maximum of 25% of charities’ annual income per year. Applications close on 31 July.

More information is available on the Nationwide Community Grants website.

6. Homelessness Resettlement Grants Fund

Homelessness charity Crisis are partnering with Comic Relief, The Joseph Rowntree Foundation and the Oak Foundation to offer a fund to support organisations, including housing associations, looking to introduce a housing-led and transformational approach to ending homelessness in their area, the “Home for all” grants fund.

The fund is open to local level organisations across the UK and registered charities who provide services to those experiencing homelessness in any form, not only those who are sleeping rough.

Awards will range from £20,000 up to £100,000 to fund longer-term needs and potential expansion or change in service delivery, following a full application process. There is no fixed closing date, but Crisis encourage applications sooner rather than later as they will need to pause the programme when the funds are close to being spent.

To apply complete the application form and send it to bestpractice@crisis.org.uk. 

Please also see the Guidance and FAQ.

7. Resilience and Recovery Loan Fund

Social Investment Business have launched a Resilience and Recovery Loan Fund. This £25m emergency loan fund will provide repayable finance to charities and social enterprises directly affected by the current crisis.

It has been established to make an existing government scheme (the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS) more easily accessible to charities and social enterprises.

More information is available on the Social Investment Business website.