Dumfries and Galloway home emergency teams save poor from eviction

Almost 300 hard-pressed local people have been helped out of dilemmas such as being evicted from their homes in the past year by a dedicated team of council employees. It has also saved the local authority over half-a-million pounds.
Dumfries and Galloway CouncilDumfries and Galloway Council
Dumfries and Galloway Council

Members of Dumfries and Galloway Council’s Communities Committee will meet on Tuesday to hear an update on the performance of its Welfare and Housing Options Team.

A council spokesperson said: “In the past year, just shy of 300 customers have been supported by the Team. This support takes on various elements, but the figure that the report really draws out is that this support lead to 47 evictions being prevented.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“Without this support, these families would have most likely have become homeless and been placed in temporary homeless accommodation. The cost of this to the local authority can be up to £12,000 per family, meaning that the support and early intervention of the team has saved the council more than £560,000.

“The report also states how the team administers a number of key financial supports to customers allows our most vulnerable residents to live healthier, more independent lives. These supports that are administered by the team include; crisis grants. council tax reduction, Universal Credit, housing benefit and community care grant

“More than £240,000 was released to customers as a direct result of the Welfare and Housing Options Team being involved.”