TWO housing partnerships that help homeless people get off the streets have been shortlisted for a nationally recognised UK Housing Award.

Bradford Council's Homelessness Outreach Partnership and Housing First, which prevents and relieves homelessness in the District have joined just nine UK entries for the prestigious Homelessness Partnership of the Year Award.

Bradford Council believes the partnerships have a good chance of winning the award because of their "strong collaborative work involving local professionals from health, substance misuse and housing who provide outreach services to rough sleepers."

The Homelessness Outreach Partnership works with West Yorkshire Police, healthcare services and local charities to help some of the district’s most vulnerable homeless people.

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In its first four months, the partnership helped house 50 rough sleepers, with just three returning to the street.

First launched in August 2018, the council’s Housing First pilot homed 15 people with such numerous and complex needs when traditional housing routes weren’t available to them.

Recently, the council successfully bid for Rough Sleeper Initiative funding from Ministry of Housing Communities Local Government.

The funding will help the council sustain its recent work to reduce rough sleeping in Bradford district.

The Homelessness Partnership of the Year Award will be announced on May 7.

Councillor Alex Ross-Shaw, Portfolio Holder for Regeneration, Planning and Transport, said: “I am very proud of the impact that our partnership approach has achieved in such a short time and that it has received deserved recognition at the UK Housing Awards.

“Housing and homelessness is a top priority for the council and we are very pleased to see the service go from strength to strength.”