THE DIFFERENCE WE MAKE
The Bond Board exists to provide housing and support in the private rented sector for the hundreds of homeless and vulnerable households that ask us for help each year. Despite the challenges of the rental housing market, including rapidly rising rents and landlords selling up, we were able to support 1625 homeless households to get housed or maintain their homes. We also continued to deliver support, training and incentives to over 300 landlords and letting agents who provide homes for homeless and low-income households.
‘These guys got me out of a homeless hostel (after spending 3yrs there!!!). Even now I get help with my flat and anything else they can help with, and I‘ve been here almost 4yrs now Happy and enjoying my life. Thanks to all the staff that helped and are helping me’.
What you need to know about The Bond Board’s impact in 2023/24
People Housed
Despite the challenging rental market and high rental prices, we rose to the challenge of getting homeless people housed.
- 104 Bond Guarantees issued to house homeless people into affordable private rented accommodation.
- 184 homeless adults and 67 homeless children housed.
- 42 single homeless people housed.
- 45 Refugee families supported into new tenancies.
- 550 formerly homeless households currently housed and supported by The Bond Board.
- 29 individuals who have experience rough sleeping or who find it difficult to live in a hostel/supported. accommodation housed with Housing First Support.
‘Beautiful people. Friendly and helpful people. Made me feel like a valued human being’.
‘I’ve been provided with a Bond from The Bond Board after my previous landlord had to sell the property. Myself and my children could have been made homeless without this help, so housing advice has changed my life massively’.
‘They’re not just going to help you with housing, they’re also going to give you support, and if other people need support, then you should ring The Bond Board because they always answer with an open ear. Without The Bond Board, I’d definitely be homeless’.
‘You helped move me into a more suitable property and get my stuff moved which would have been extremely difficult for me to do myself due to my disability’.
Providing Innovative Solutions to Homelessness
We are passionate and like to get creative to find new solutions to the housing crisis.
- 144 private rented properties managed by our award winning Social Enterprise Housing Management Scheme-’Letting Out’.
- 11 empty properties or commercial premises converted into high specification, energy efficient homes and brought back into use to house rough sleepers.
- 20 properties classed as “long-term empties” bought back into use to house homeless households.
- 2 properties empty for more than 18 years(!!) brought back into use to house homeless households.
‘The Bond Board are very dependable. If I need to contact them, they are always there. They are helpful, friendly, and most of all, they are very experienced’.
Homeless Prevention
In these difficult times, we continue to prioritise homeless prevention, providing early support, specialist housing advice and landlord/tenant mediation.
- 1625 private renting households have received support from Bond Board projects this year.
- 20,000+ support contacts with service users, landlords and partner agencies.
- 1239 attendances for advice and support at our ‘Quid’s In’ drop-in.
- 83% of the homeless people we housed remained in their tenancies for more than 12 months.
- 92% of the tenants supported by our Making the Link service regained and maximised their independent living skills
- 52% of private tenants with ‘no fault’ notice to leave were supported to remain in their tenancies via landlord/tenant mediation.
- 29% of private tenants supported by our Tenants Advocacy Service had a threat of an invalid/illegal eviction removed.
- 643 private tenants targeted with information about rights and entitlements, Welfare Reform changes and support services available via our social media accounts.
‘You made sure I’m getting full entitlement to my benefits and made me aware that my landlord was breaking the law’.
‘I could have been illegally evicted if it wasn’t for the service you provided’.
‘To have nothing, it really knocks the stuffing of you. The Bond Board has been great. I feel like a man again and I’m ready to make a fresh start’.
‘To be honest, you have to have trust with the worker. I think that’s one of the reasons that I am here today, because you believed in me’.
Maximising Incomes
We put £986,474.68 put into the pockets of our service users via support to claim rights and entitlements.
‘You advised me on PIP, Carer’s Allowance and Discretionary Housing Payments which we wouldn’t have been aware of otherwise. We feel more stable financially because of this help’.
‘He only sent the workmen round after The Bond Board got involved. I wouldn’t have been able to get through it all without L’s (Bond Board Worker) help. She even got me back pay for my PIP. I love my house. I’m so glad I’m not having to move. It’s all worked out perfectly’.
‘I wouldn’t have known what to have done without the advice and support. The service has reduced my stress a lot in comparison to what it could have been’.
Help In A Crisis
We believe everyone has the right to the basics in life, but times are tough and it can be a real struggle to make ends meet. We provide practical solutions to a crisis and provide longer term support, as needed, to make sure no one is left to cope alone.
- 471 households reduced their food poverty.
- 324 households reduced their fuel poverty.
- 221 households acquired essential household items.
- 118 households reduced their hygiene poverty.
- 93% of people supported felt they could successfully deal with significant life changes and challenges in the future.
‘I’m dyslexic so I’m no good with all the paperwork, but they’ve helped me so much…with everything; my finances, the gas and electric, food vouchers. They’re really good. I don’t know, I think we’d be on the streets now if it wasn’t for them’.
‘Since I’ve been in touch with The Bond Board everything has been improving. You helped me set up a bank account which I’d been struggling to do for ages because I can’t read and write so having help sorting that out has helped me hugely’.
‘I didn’t know what I was doing until I spoke with the Bond Board, and they’ve given me more confidence and independence when it comes to speaking with landlords and knowing what I’m entitled to’.
Bond Board Service User
Watch one of our service users tell his story
Our Work With Private Landlords
We recognise and value the contribution private sector landlords can make in providing housing for homeless people. We work hard to engage our local landlords and offer a range of support, solutions and incentives to ensure a supply of decent, affordable housing for our service users.
- 23% increase in the number of properties we manage this year.
- 40 new properties sourced and managed, an increase from 12 in 2022/23.
- 20 new landlords recruited to our Social Enterprise Housing Management Scheme-Letting Out.
- 14 new properties leased from private sector landlords.
- 28 leased properties in total being used to house homeless households.
‘The majority of my tenants are great. They look after the house and pay on time. Some don’t want to behave-and there’s only so much i can take. That’s when I ask The Bond Board to intervene as an intermediary. Between us we can get most tenants back on track, and this year we’ve saved a few from becoming homeless, which is a good result’.
‘I am writing to commend L (Bond Board Housing Adviser) on the outstanding way in which she helped to navigate a very complicated case. We are actually the landlords of the case she was assigned to. L was very empathetic to our situation, as well as that of her client, and managed to resolve the situation in a very timely manner. She is an asset to your organisation as she has managed to achieve a solution which the other people involved in the client’s care have failed to reach for the last 6 months!’
VOLUNTEERS
We launched a new volunteer project this year, offering opportunities for service users and others to contribute to the running of The Bond Board. Volunteer roles include Service Administration, Fundraising, Kitchen Assistant and Digital Champion. We are also excited to be developing opportunities for volunteers with lived experience to use their knowledge and experiences to support other service users.
- 17 new volunteers recruited.
- 10 Service User Volunteers recruited.
- 10 volunteers supported to improve their wellbeing.
- 3 volunteers have completed external training courses.
- 6 employees from National Gas volunteered at our ‘Quid’s In’ drop-in as part of an Employer Supported Volunteer programme.
- 4 Volunteers with lived experience of the Asylum system have been supported to set up and deliver a weekly drop in advice session, supporting 94 households with Leave to Remain to resettle in the UK.
‘People have helped me in the past with volunteering and doing things like that, so I’m giving a bit back to help other people now. You’re helping people in a way who’ve got difficulties, helping them to get back on their feet and maybe one day, they’ll start volunteering. I had nothing 6 year ago. I was homeless. I know what its like to be on the other end of it’.
‘Having the chance to volunteer at The Bond Board was fantastic. I worked alongside some of the most friendly and supportive staff who encouraged me to take on new roles and responsibilities. It gave me confidence in my own abilities and enabled me to pursue a job in the admin environment’.
Co-production
- 4 Volunteers with lived experience of the Asylum system have been supported to set up and deliver a weekly drop in advice session, supporting 94 households with Leave to Remain to resettle in the UK.
- 292 attendances at our ‘Quid’s In’ Activity Away Days to reduce social isolation-co-produced with Service Users and Volunteers.
- An independent evaluation of our Tenants’ Advocacy Service (TAS) enabled the voices of our service users, a landlord, Bond Board staff and colleagues from partner agencies to have their voices heard during the current housing crisis. It shines a spotlight on the mental health impact of the threat of homelessness, as well as the remarkable resilience of our TAS service users and the positive impact of early intervention. Hear more from our Stakeholders in the evaluation which can be found on the front page of our website HERE
‘It’s inspiring to see the continued impact you’re making in the lives of the people accessing your support, especially in light of increasing rents and limited housing availability. Achieving financial gains for all service users, along with the success of your volunteer program, is a testament to your dedication and effectiveness in addressing critical issues within your community’. Additionally, the significant outcomes in accommodation/housing support demonstrate the tangible difference your organisation is making in securing stable housing for those in need’.
Partnership Working
We strive to work in partnership with all relevant statutory and third sector organisations in our area and beyond. This year, we would particularly like to thank the following services, who have gone the extra mile to bring their services directly to our ‘Quid’s In’ drop in.
- National Energy Action
- Rochdale Citizen’s Advice Bureau
- Rochdale Council’s Revenue and Benefits team
- Rochdale Councils Environmental Education Officers
- Rochdale MIND
- INGEUS UK
- Manchester Credit Union
- The Hygiene Bank
‘They demonstrate a respectful and dignified approach to the client group’. Pennine Acute Trust
‘They always provide a flexible, client focused approach’. Rochdale Boroughwide Housing’s Homelessness Team
‘You work with us and other professional as part of multi-disciplinary teams, giving us expert advice to ensure that we are taking a pro-active and preventative approach in supporting residents before their circumstances escalate, ultimately preventing the families we are working with becoming homeless’. Social Prescribing Team
‘Your range of services and holistic approach offers a unique, one stop shop for those who often struggle to engage elsewhere. The conciliatory approach you take with landlords helps to retain and recruit new landlords to house those on low incomes, which is crucial to addressing housing need in the borough’. Rochdale Council Homeless Team Manager
2024-25
The major challenges for the foreseeable future include the ongoing Cost of Living Crisis which still persists, rising private sector rents and lack of affordable housing, which all impact on levels of homelessness, benefit problems, financial hardship, rent arrears and debt amongst private renting tenants. This highlights the need for specialist advice and support for this group and their landlords if accommodation is to be found and successfully sustained.
An example of the challenges in the PRS sector s the rise in average monthly rents in Rochdale, which were £684 in February 2024, an increase of 12.8% from February 2023 (ONS). The recent uprating of Local Housing Allowance will support some tenants to meet or reduce rent shortfalls. However, another consequence is that many out-of-work households that look set to gain in the first instance will hit the Benefit Cap, which has not been uprated. This will particularly affect PRS families with children. As a result, out-of-work two-child families in receipt of full Universal Credit will have their benefits capped in 83 per cent of local areas next year. The Chancellor also announced that LHA will be re-frozen from next year, meaning April’s rise will bring only temporary relief to poorer households struggling with rising housing and living costs.
Consultation with attendees and data from our case management system informs us that the issues causing most problems for service users are; homelessness/at risk of homelessness, benefit problems, disrepair/poor property conditions, making ends meet/lack of money, debt problems, mental and physical health problems, lack of confidence, social isolation, lack of qualifications and not knowing where to go to get help. The main causes of financial problems amongst our service users are; low income, unemployment, illness, homelessness, bereavement, separation from a partner, reduced financial literacy, benefit problems and creditor behaviour.
We are currently developing our new fundraising strategy which will be co-produced with all our stakeholders, including staff, volunteers, trustees, service users, landlords and partner agencies. Whilst we are extremely proud of what we have achieved in the last year, with additional funding, we could do much more. For example, we could deliver additional impact by providing;
- Additional innovative initiatives to provide affordable properties in the private rented sector to reduce homelessness.
- More support to help people find affordable housing in the private rented sector., particularly for those who are digitally excluded or whose first language isn’t English.
- More opportunities to volunteer at The Bond Board-adding capacity to all aspects of the organisation whilst gaining skills and experience and enhancing knowledge in the service user community.
- Funded social activities for service users to reduce social isolation-a key priority for our ‘Quid’s In service users.
- Ongoing practical support, such as food and fuel in a crisis, if funds allow.
- More specialist help to meet the demand at the earliest possible point to prevent homelessness when people are at risk of losing their home.
- Enhanced opportunities for all Stakeholders to work co-productively with The Bond Board in designing and delivering our strategies.
- A more suitable, sustainable home for The Bond Board which will support our ambitions for growth and innovation.