Working Future

Mayor of London / London Development Agency

Working Future was initiated by East Thames, the Greater London Authority, and the London Borough of Waltham Forest, and includes the Boroughs of Redbridge and Newham as project partners.

Working Future is an innovative project that aims to assist homeless families in temporary accommodation to move into work/training. It combines tackling the benefits trap created by high rents with support to overcome other barriers to employment.

High rents charged for temporary accommodation leased from the private sector (PSL) are creating a benefits trap, which means that homeless families cannot afford to work.

However, Working Future is piloting a new approach to funding PSL accommodation. This involves replacing an element of the rent with a block grant to the local authority, which means that an average social rent (rather than a PSL rent) can be charged to the tenant - thus tackling the benefits trap. For homeless households taking part in the project this means rents falling from an average of £300 per week to an average social rent of £85, which makes employment a realistic goal.

This unique and innovative change is cost-neutral to the Treasury. The Department of Work and Pensions and the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister are fully behind the project and the DWP is transferring £2.28 million to support a reduction in rent for one hundred families over a two-year period.

The other essential aspect of the project is the provision of, and signposting into, employment and training services and support, administered through a dedicated Working Future team based at East Thames. The scope and nature of what is provided by the team is to a large extent being informed by similar initiatives for single homeless people and for permanent existing tenants.

ODPM (Office of the Deputy Prime Minister) Minister in the House of Lords, Baroness Andrews, said: 'Working Future will help break the cycle of homelessness through offering access to employment and the countless opportunities that come with this. The success of this pilot will mean that more families can go back to work, find a permanent home and move away from reliance to independence.'

Working Future was recognised at the National Housing Federation’s InBiz Award, in the Partner of Choice category for the work between the Greater London Authority and East Thames.

For more information visit www.workingfuture.org.uk


	Home > Good practice > Working Future
About us Child poverty facts Good practice Childcare affordability Employment services Skillsmatch Childcare support Supporting parents JobShac Links at work Publications & resources News Events Links to other sites	Working Future Mayor of London / London Development Agency Working Future was initiated by East Thames, the Greater London Authority, and the London Borough of Waltham Forest, and includes the Boroughs of Redbridge and Newham as project partners. Working Future is an innovative project that aims to assist homeless families in temporary accommodation to move into work/training. It combines tackling the benefits trap created by high rents with support to overcome other barriers to employment. High rents charged for temporary accommodation leased from the private sector (PSL) are creating a benefits trap, which means that homeless families cannot afford to work. However, Working Future is piloting a new approach to funding PSL accommodation. This involves replacing an element of the rent with a block grant to the local authority, which means that an average social rent (rather than a PSL rent) can be charged to the tenant - thus tackling the benefits trap. For homeless households taking part in the project this means rents falling from an average of £300 per week to an average social rent of £85, which makes employment a realistic goal. This unique and innovative change is cost-neutral to the Treasury. The Department of Work and Pensions and the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister are fully behind the project and the DWP is transferring £2.28 million to support a reduction in rent for one hundred families over a two-year period. The other essential aspect of the project is the provision of, and signposting into, employment and training services and support, administered through a dedicated Working Future team based at East Thames. The scope and nature of what is provided by the team is to a large extent being informed by similar initiatives for single homeless people and for permanent existing tenants. ODPM (Office of the Deputy Prime Minister) Minister in the House of Lords, Baroness Andrews, said: 'Working Future will help break the cycle of homelessness through offering access to employment and the countless opportunities that come with this. The success of this pilot will mean that more families can go back to work, find a permanent home and move away from reliance to independence.' Working Future was recognised at the National Housing Federation’s InBiz Award, in the Partner of Choice category for the work between the Greater London Authority and East Thames. For more information visit www.workingfuture.org.uk