Wigan drug and alcohol addicts to get housing support thanks to £1.2m cash boost

The council is one of 28 local authorities to get a slice of the £53m pie with £1,227,778 going towards supporting services such as We Are With You – who provide confidential support to people experiencing issues with drugs, alcohol or mental health.

In Wigan, peer mentors with past experience of drug and alcohol treatment will provide support to people struggling to maintain independent living to sustain their accommodation and improve recovery outcomes. This money will go towards helping those who struggle with substance abuse addiction and help them maintain independent living.

Coun Keith Cunliffe, portfolio holder for adult social care, said: “This funding will be part of a three-year programme and will include the recruitment of several specialist roles to existing teams to provide enhanced support as well as capacity to enable resettlement into stable accommodation and prevent future housing need.

“These roles will include peer support navigators who have past experience of drug and alcohol treatment. They will support people who are struggling to maintain independent living to sustain their accommodation and improve recovery outcomes.

“They will work with Resettlement and Healthy Living Officers to provide ongoing support and mentoring. New Homeless Solutions Officers will provide dedicated capacity and support to individuals in drug and alcohol treatment.

“They will support the prevention of homelessness, when people are at risk of losing accommodation, through issues related to their use of substances. They will also play a key role in supporting mediation and negotiation, coping tactics and advice/support for family, friends and neighbours which will subsequently support the individual to stay in the property.

“A Welfare Advisor will be co-located within treatment services and will provide first hand support and advice to individuals around benefits, debt money, rent arrears, access to healthcare services and tenancy related issues. The Welfare Advisor will support individuals to address issues that could impact on their housing status before it results in a crisis response.”

According to the Department for Health and Social Care, people in treatment for drug and alcohol dependence are often easier to support if their housing needs are addressed at the same time.

They say this is due to a strong link between having a stable home and improved treatment outcomes.

Following the release of this pot of money on February 3, Health and Social Care Secretary, Steve Barclay, said: “We’re supporting those recovering from drug and alcohol addiction by addressing the link between improved treatment outcomes and a stable home.

"This £53m funding, targeted to local authorities with the greatest need, will support the government’s ambition to reduce overall drug use to a historic 30-year low.”