Step Forward Housing | Nacro
Service users

Step Forward Housing

Nacro Step Forward Housing offers Supported Housing for single people and families, aged between 18 and 65, who would otherwise have difficulty accessing and sustaining accommodation in the mainstream housing market and are able to live safely with visiting support: Our target stay is 18 to 24 months.

Our residents may have been rough sleeping, involved in the justice system, experiencing mental health issues, recovering from drug and alcohol misuse, or at risk of domestic abuse or homelessness.

In addition, our teams work with residents to equip them with the skills and access the resources they need to move on to sustainable independent living.

All Nacro Step Forward Housing residents have access to a centrally managed low level support package and an intensive housing management package. Find out more about the packages below.

Referrals

We do not accept self-referrals; we welcome referrals from local authorities and other housing and support providers.

 Our impact

  • Nacro have offered this type of service since 2013.
  • We offer accommodation in roughly 900 units across England and Wales every night.
  • 540 people moved on from our accommodation in 2021/2022.
It was tough. I’m really thankful that Nacro picked me up. It’s a very supportive living accommodation, which I think is really good thing. Being able to see a friendly face every day, to have a little chat it was a big thing. That's what I mean by the amazing support. - Nacro service user

Our commitment to quality and safeguarding

Our dedicated Quality and Safeguarding Team ensure high service standards through internal audit and have oversight of all safeguarding concerns and alerts.

Nacro’s low-level support package

We offer between 1 and 2 hours per week based on identified need.

The package includes:

We carry out a comprehensive needs assessment for anyone referred to us. This is to ensure our offer is right for the prospective resident’s aspirations and needs. The assessment includes identifying further support they may need.

Each resident can get specialist advice on non-qualifying welfare benefits, i.e., over and above those benefits or schemes some people are entitled to because they receive other benefits and tax credits. Residents can also access debt advice.

Our support includes case management and multi-agency coordination on issues including mental health, substance misuse and disabilities. This could be safety planning, harm minimisation, and advocacy to access statutory drug, alcohol, mental health, physical, and social services.

We are available 24 hours a day to deal with emergency support.

Residents get access to a 24/7 counselling service, run by Corporate Counselling Services. This offers confidential support on a range of issues including bullying, depression, and bereavement.

Providing case work, critical intervention, and external liaison for residents displaying complex and more challenging needs. Although we are a low-support service we understand that needs can fluctuate while residents are in our service.

Residents can also benefit from additional support from a cohort of Nacro volunteers and social work student placements. This is coordinated by our Community Engagement officers.

Through CRSS we offer legal advice and support to those with a criminal record who are looking to find employment and move on accommodation.

Nacro’s intensive housing management package

Residents in this service need additional assistance to maintain their tenancies. They receive our intensive housing management package as set out below. This provides a higher level of housing management than would be necessary for those with general needs or living in private rented accommodation.

Our tenancy management services are intended to prevent homelessness and grow a person’s confidence in their ability to live a fully independent life outside of supported accommodation.

Support includes:

  • Liaison with housing benefit and local government departments.
  • Assistance with claiming housing and other benefits and resolving benefit claim issues.
  • Support applying for Council Tax exemptions and reductions.
  • Help with managing personal finances to ensure they can pay their household bills.
  • Advice on managing utilities (gas and electricity) and water efficiently.
  • Advice on tenancy-related mental capacity issues.
  • Liaison with court-appointed deputies, appointees, and advocates in matters related to the tenancy.
  • Mediation between volatile residents and safeguarding interventions where issues arise between residents.
  • Management of antisocial behaviour.
  • Advice and assistance to understand and comply with the tenancy conditions.
  • Advice about keeping the property clean and tidy and support with hoarding issues.
  • Sensitive lettings process to accommodate residents’ and community needs. Ensuring safety of accommodation placement, and compatibility in cases of shared property.
  • Helping find move-on accommodation at the end of their stay.
  • Advice and assistance on using equipment within the property.
  • Advice and assistance regarding security of the residents’ home.
  • Provision of systems, i.e., CCTV, Wi-Fi, door entry, alarms, furniture, and equipment.
  • Cost of adaptations for accessibility.

Contact for referral enquiries.

North East England Kerry.Mulvihill@nacro.org.uk Teesside, Sunderland, South Tyneside, South Yorkshire
Wales Chloe.Marshall@nacro.org.uk Denbighshire, Flintshire & Wrexham
North West Pamela.Dodoo@nacro.org.uk Greater Manchester & Merseyside
London & Essex Jeremy.Hayles@nacro.org.uk Hackney, Haringey, Barnet & Brent, Colchester, Chelmsford, Epping
Midlands Sarah.Vaughan@nacro.org.uk Leicestershire, Staffordshire, Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire
Lincolnshire Sarah.Caskie-Hefferman@nacro.org.uk Lincolnshire & North Lincolnshire