Accommodation for Work
Overcoming unemployment can be a big challenge, particularly if you are homeless.
BHT’s Accommodation for Work project aims to help homeless people off the streets and into employment and independent accommodation. It is funded by the National Lottery Community Fund.
Working with people who feel they are ready to make a positive change and move their lives forward, the project offers temporary shared accommodation and support with work and learning. The project is for single adults aged 18-65 with a local connection to Brighton & Hove.
Each resident has a keyworker, who works with them to develop an individual employment plan which focuses on skills, training requirements and employment goals. Residents use their time at the project to engage in paid or voluntary work, training courses, or work placements.
I was always a bit scared to go into shared accommodation, because I’ve always lived on my own, but it’s actually been really good, it’s helped me socialise and keep going, learning from different people’s backgrounds and how they’ve coped helps you cope.
Accessing the Service
Referrals can be made by keyworkers or via Brighton & Hove City Council’s Housing Options Team on 01273 294400, or BHT Advice on 01273 645400. Please contact us on 01273 645440 if you have any questions about the process or wish to discuss a referral.
Having somewhere stable to live really helps as well as support if things do go wrong. I think I would have given up without it.
Benefits Calculator
The Accommodation for Work project created the Getting Ready for Work Calculator to provide a simple tool for hostel residents to see how work impacts on their benefits and rent. There are other benefit calculators which can be quite complicated and require a lot of information, and we wanted ours to be simple and aimed exclusively at hostel residents who claim Housing Benefit for their rent.
*This calculator is only a tool and should not be the sole basis for decision-making.
Getting Ready for Work
The Accommodation for Work Project organises the twice-yearly Getting Ready for Work event, which brings together clients and keyworkers of homeless services with work and learning providers in the city.
We have compiled a Getting Ready for Work Directory, which provides details of the providers that we work with for these events. You can find this directory at the link below.
We also run a Getting Ready for Work Helpline, which is open to anyone living in a hostel or temporary accommodation who has questions about benefits and work. You can call this helpline on 01273 645436 (Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm).
