ACCOMMODATION to support homeless women or those at risk of homelessness is now available in the district.
The Stratford District Council-funded scheme features a dedicated women-only facility offering self-contained accommodation with ensuite bathrooms and kitchenettes.
This targeted provision responds to a growing need in the district. In the past year SDC received 1,075 homelessness approaches, including 688 from single households. Of these, 283 were from women, representing around 41 per cent of all single applicants. During the same period, 73 single female households required accommodation, with 14 currently in temporary accommodation.
The new scheme aims to offer a supportive stepping stone between crisis accommodation and fully independent living.
By providing self-contained units alongside tailored support, it will enable residents to maintain their independence while accessing help to sustain their tenancies, improve wellbeing and move forward positively.
SDC housing spoekewoman Coun Liz Coles said: “This investment demonstrates our commitment to tackling homelessness and ensuring that everyone in our District has access to safe and suitable accommodation.
“We know that a significant proportion of people who come to us for help are women, and that there is a gap in provision for those who need a secure, self-contained space and we know that some women feel safer in women only spaces.
“This scheme provides exactly that, a safe, supportive environment where women can regain stability and independence. It is about giving people the foundation they need to rebuild their lives with dignity and confidence.”
The provision forms part of SDC’s wider approach to preventing and reducing homelessness, which includes early intervention, tailored housing advice, and partnership working with support organisations across the D
district.
Anyone homeless or worried about losing their home can contact the SDC’s Housing Advice and Homelessness Service by emailing [email protected], calling 01789 260126 (out of hours emergency homelessness service: 01789 267575 – select Option 3), or visiting SDC’s Elizabeth House headquarters on Church Street.
Representatives from Stratford District Council and partner organisations at the new women-only accommodation scheme in Stratford.
