Provision of Single Homelessness Prevention Service (Rochdale)

Overview

The Single Homelessness Prevention Service (Rochdale) Contract will commence on 1st January 2027 and end on 31st March 2029. The Service will be delivered by an organisation with a proven track record of successful engagement with people experiencing multiple disadvantage or marginalised groups in the Borough of Rochdale and will operate across the Rochdale, Heywood and Pennine Townships on a neighbourhood hub and outreach-based model. Local data highlights both the scale of the demand and the complexity of need, with a significant proportion of individuals experiencing challenges related to financial resilience, substance use, offending histories, and previous rough sleeping. These overlapping needs increase the likelihood of housing instability and repeat homelessness, placing ongoing pressure on statutory and support services. This evidence reinforces the requirement for a commissioned response that moves beyond a crisis and accommodation-focused response, towards one that delivers integrated interventions. The Prevention Service must be designed to respond holistically, addressing not only immediate housing risk but also the underlying factors that impact an individual's ability to sustain accommodation and achieve longer-term stability. The primary purpose of this service is to prevent first-time homelessness, repeat homelessness and rough sleeping through early identification, proactive engagement and tenancy sustainment. The service will be responsive, but prevention focused and should aim to intervene at the earliest possible stage before an individual becomes threatened with homelessness. The Provider will develop sustainable plans to prevent homelessness or rough sleeping by providing structured engagement plans, immediate crisis intervention, specialist prevention support and outreach engagement to individuals who are harder to reach to prevent escalation into statutory homelessness.