Harrow Council has launched a new strategy aimed at preventing homelessness before it reaches crisis point, focusing on early intervention and partnership working to support vulnerable residents.
The initiative, spearheaded by the council's newly formed Business Transformation and Outreach team, aligns with the Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy 2025-2030. Key priorities include building community resilience, providing early advice and support, and assisting households in accessing suitable and affordable accommodation.
Data analysis has identified key risk groups and the main reasons for homelessness applications, which include the end of private rented tenancies, family exclusions, and domestic abuse. The council is using this information to target outreach efforts and develop tailored support. This tailored support includes tailored housing support and advice
being developed through community channels. The Business Transformation and Outreach team is working on co-designing engaging materials, including visual aids, to explain pathways to residents,
and consulting with voluntary and community sector organisations for input. Additionally, a pre-prevention Housing Handbook
is being created to improve process mapping of Housing Services, which will be made available to internal and external partners.
Technological solutions, such as the LIFT (Low Income Family Tracker) dashboard, are being implemented to proactively identify households affected by welfare reforms and offer support to maximise income.
The Business Transformation and Outreach team is also working to create more accessible and engaging information materials for residents. The team aims to improve accessibility of Housing Advice through the designing of engaging materials, including visual aids, to explain pathways to residents.
They are also consulting VCS and Community organisations for their input on the materials
to ensure a collaborative approach. The council is working with new and existing community channels (including social media) and outreach opportunities to distribute housing information, dispel myths, improve knowledge of the homelessness system, raise awareness of the support available and how to engage.
Councillor Jean Lammiman, Portfolio Holder for Adult Services & Public Health, highlighted the importance of this proactive approach, stating, The aim of the newly formed Business Transformation and Outreach team is to support residents, through the delivery of the Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy 2025-2030 action plan. Through early homelessness prevention activities, the team will ensure that residents receive timely, accessible, and high quality support.
Brian Bekoe, Outreach and Business Transformation Manager, added, The aim of the Business Transformation and Outreach team is to deliver the Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy 2025 to 2030 strategic priority of supporting the wellbeing of residents. This will be achieved by improving access to consistent and empathetic advice and by ensuring that support is delivered within a psychologically informed environment.
The council is also collaborating with various partners, including the Harrow Homelessness Reduction Board and its Operational Subgroup, to ensure a joined-up approach to tackling homelessness.
For more information on the council's efforts, refer to the Public reports pack for the Health and Wellbeing Board meeting on 12 March 2026: Public reports pack Thursday 12-Mar-2026 14.00 Health and Wellbeing Board.
