Homelessness Out of Hours Service

Sandwell Council is looking for a provider for Housing Solutions Out of Hours service provision for an initial 12 month period or up to three years depending on the quote value (in line with procurement thresholds). The service we are looking to source is to provide emergency out of hours call handling of households presenting as homeless.

The calls will be from individuals and families who find themselves with nowhere to stay that night due to a range of issues, most commonly family/friends asking them to leave, eviction from private rented properties and incidents of domestic abuse. The Housing Solutions is looking for a provider for the following:

• oReceive the initial call
• oTriage the situation (using a defined flow chart - which will include checking whether the council has ended a duty to the family)
• oIdentify whether the council would owe an emergency accommodation duty (using defined flow chart)
• oDirect any single/ non-priority cases to options they can explore themselves including hostels etc
• oSecure temporary accommodation for families/ people with priority from a list of providers/ capacity which will be updated by 5pm each day
• oMake contact with bed and breakfast provider to make referral and book the family in
• oAdvise the customer of where to go for temporary accommodation
• oProvide a daily list of basic information to the service of all people/ households placed during out of hours

On average the council receives around 4 calls per night (this has been as high as 13 in one period and is regularly as low as 0) during out of hours shifts. This includes weekends.

The out of hours service would need to take these calls during the following timescales:

1. Monday from 5:30pm to 9:00am Tuesday
2. Tuesday from 5:30pm to 9:00am Wednesday
3. Wednesday from 5:30pm to 9:00am Thursday
4. Thursday from 5:30pm to 9:00am Friday
5. Friday from 5:00pm to 9:00am Monday

A number will be provided for a manager within the service should anything need escalating, however, we would expect this to be the exception rather than the norm.

The service believes this will suit a provider who already provides out of hours cover on behalf of other local authorities/ agencies or an organisation who can provide this in addition to 24/7 cover within their existing operations/ premises e.g. a hostel or supported accommodation provider with 24 hour staffing.

Please feel free to contact me if you need any further clarification or for further discussion.

Additional information:

Please submit quotations either through intend or via email to karl_robinson@sandwell.gov.uk

Is a Recurrent Procurement Type? : No