A homeless charity has warned that the voluntary sector is facing a ‘perfect storm’ when it comes to helping vulnerable people in West Sussex.
Stonepillow, which supports more than 500 people each year, is one of eight organisations which will have its Housing Related Support contract extended by the county council in October.
While news of the two-year extension was welcomed as it would provide ‘some stability to our services’, the charity pointed out that there had been a real-time reduction in funding since 2019, when the value of the contracts was reduced.
Referring to the increasing need for its services, a spokesman for Stonepillow said:
“We are witnessing the ‘perfect storm’ with winter looming, cost of living having increased by 10 per cent since the same time last year, and fuel costs predicted to be three times greater than the costs in October 2021.
“The real question is not whether West Sussex County Council can provide uplifted funding to support these contracts but whether they can they afford not to?”
There are currently 62 people on a waiting list for Stonepillow’s hostel services across Arun and Chichester – and the charity said the numbers were growing.
The spokesman added:
“We are seeing more people with mental and physical ill health and our day hubs are bursting at the seams.
“We are feeding well over 150 people a day and, as we enter the autumn and winter months, it will inevitably grow.”
The total value of the eight contracts is £3,969,380 for the two-year extension.
Alongside Stonepillow, the other holders are the Bognor Housing Trust, Crawley Open House, and Turning Tides – all of which cater for homelessness and rough sleeper provision.
Then there’s Home Group, which helps young people with complex needs and mental health issues, the Sanctuary Housing Association and the YMCA DownsLink Group, which help young people, and Safe in Sussex, which provides refuge services for women fleeing domestic violence.
The decision to extend the contract was made by Alan Sinclair, director of adults & health, and will come into force on September 6 unless it is called in by councillors for further discussion.
A county council report said the services provided by the likes of Stonepillow helped the council to meet its statutory duties and also gelled with some of the priorities laid out in its corporate plan for 2021-2025.
Namely, keeping people safe from vulnerable situations, a sustainable and prosperous economy, helping people and communities to fulfil their potential, and making the best use of resources
The report added:
“Despite the impact of rising inflation, the providers have confirmed that they will be able to maintain service levels during the extension period.”
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