Housing provided speaks out after claims social housing schemes turn neighbourhoods into open prisons

A Leicestershire-based housing provider has spoken out after claims that housing schemes are ruining neighbourhoods.

A recent investigation by Sky News claimed that housing schemes across the UK are to blame for turning quiet suburbs into ‘open prisons’.

Response Accommodation, based in Medbourne, which works with social enterprises and charities to provide people in need – such as recently released prisoners – with accommodation, has highlighted the value of their work in the face of reports that landlords are cashing in on these kinds of schemes.

“We are working to ensure that people are given the opportunity to make a difference and supporting them towards that goal,” said co-founder Claire Hart. “Response Accommodation acknowledges all of the government, councils and agencies for the funding they have provided to help make a difference.”

“We recognise that sometimes it fails and doesn’t deliver the intended outcomes,” Claire added. “But the work we do highlights what this kind of service can look like when it’s successful and within a budget.

“Response Accommodation provides an extraordinarily successful service. Out of over 700 people placed in the last year, the levels of incidents are minimal, not much different from non-supported housing. We can count on one pair of hands the number of people recalled to prison on our programmes.”

“Our distributed housing model has a low impact on communities. We have worked with the MOJ since July 2020. We provide a 24/7 manned helpline.”

The enterprise works to address the dire need for social housing for charities and Local Authorities to help with domestic violence, homelessness and child abuse. Their mission is to help provide accommodation and they donate a percentage of their profits to the services that support each individual.

Claire said: “The work we do connects the registered and fully engaged and enrolled property provider with the care provider and the organisations requiring the properties.

“We have simplified the provision of accommodation and referral of individuals to ensure that they get the support that they require.”

Response Accommodation has housed almost 800 people, with less than 10 of that number ending up back in jail.