Pilot programme to support social tenants amid cost-of-living crisis
Support launched to help tenants and staff at the frontline of the cost-of-living crisis.
As housing associations across Scotland continue to support tenants with essential costs, a new pilot programme has been launched to benefit tenants and stretched housing staff.
The pilot, facilitated by the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations (SFHA) and Technology Enabled Care in Housing (TECH), will see Link Housing trial the ‘Lightning Reach’ platform aimed at helping social tenants to access a wide range of support including grants, social security and money for essential bills.
Housing associations have seen rising numbers of tenants falling into financial hardship and struggling with essential costs. While they routinely provide help to tenants, SFHA say that with huge budget cuts it’s becoming harder for housing staff to sustain the levels of demand - and cope with the personal stress of being on the frontline.
A recent report into the impact of the cost-of-living crisis on Scotland’s social tenants found that more than 95% of tenants were struggling with the costs of putting food on the table and heating their home. The SFHA report outlined how people living in Scotland’s social homes have resorted to skipping meals, disconnecting their energy supplies, and even cutting back on visiting friends and families to make ends meet. The vast majority (86%) of tenants feel worse off than this time last year.
Social tenants had previously seen help with energy costs through the Fuel Insecurity Fund, a Scottish Government fund facilitated by SFHA which saw 55,000 households receive grants, help with energy debt and more. The Scottish Government scrapped this fund in the most recent budget, alongside slashing almost £200 million from the affordable homes programme.
The Lightning Reach portal allows tenants to quickly and safely find and apply for different forms of assistance and access it when they need it most. Through partnerships with organisations across the support sector including Royal British Legion and TSB, it has facilitated more than £10million in financial assistance to date.
Gillian Duddy, Membership and Funding Manager at SFHA, said: “Housing associations really are at the frontline of the cost-of-living crisis, but they shouldn’t have to face this alone.
“As our members begin to encounter the real challenges caused by slashing the housing budget, as well as scrapping the Fuel Insecurity Fund, we know that we absolutely must look for alternatives to keep our members and their tenants afloat.
“This is really innovative way to do just that, with a proven track record, so I’m really pleased that we’re able to trial it with our partners at Link. We simply can’t stand by and let the core aid that housing associations provide – and our key housing staff - become ever more stretched.
Ren Yi Hooi, Founder and CEO at Lightning Reach, commented: “We are excited to be working closely with SFHA and Link Housing to support social housing residents in Scotland to access vital support during these difficult times.
"Through the digital Lightning Reach portal, residents will not only be able to engage directly with Link Housing for support in a user-friendly and timely manner, but also access a wide range of other resources personalised to their needs and circumstances. This can help Link Housing to make the most effective use of their internal support scheme, save staff time on providing assistance and deliver better outcomes for their residents.”