The Independent Housing Support project works in partnership with the local authority and the aim is to offer support to people in housing need across all tenures. Currently the services run in Flintshire and Gwynedd in North Wales.

The main emphasis is to prevent homelessness and create sustainable tenancies, therefore establishing settled communities, reducing the incidence of possession action by local authorities, private landlords and mortgage lender.

Much of the support is very intensive one-to-one support on a wide range of needs including, amongst others:

• help to understand rights and responsibilities as a tenant
• advice on welfare benefits and debt
• advice on budgeting
• advocacy
• help getting utilities connected and exploring payment options
• information on the local area and what is available
• help finding furniture and applying for grants
• support to make local contacts and settle into their new home
• help accessing other services and support.

The intensive support is tailored to the needs of the individual client. The work, whilst wide-ranging, utilises specialised legislative housing knowledge as support workers work closely with their Housing Law Caseworker colleagues. Clients usually receive support for between six and 12 months, although in some cases this will be longer if it is felt that continued help and advice is necessary to enable the client to remain in their home.