VULNERABLE people facing homelessness are set to benefit from a £399,000 grant secured by Wyre Forest District Council.

The council applied for funding from the Government’s Private Rented Sector Access Fund, which is designed to help people who are at risk of becoming homeless.

The fund aims to help them to secure their own private rented home.

Wyre Forest District Council made the application on behalf of councils across Worcestershire, and the £399,099 grant will be used to set up social letting agencies or rent bond schemes and to provide support to tenants.

This could involve providing financial support to help people to access or maintain their tenancies, such as paying deposits or rent payments.

There will be incentives to encourage private sector landlords to rent to people who are receiving benefits and the councils will also be looking at setting up a Private Sector Leasing Scheme.

Councillor Ian Hardiman, Wyre Forest District Council’s cabinet member for housing, said: “We offer a housing options service which provides specialist advice and is accessible to anyone requiring housing advice, experiencing homelessness or threatened with homelessness.

"By securing this funding our housing team will be able to work with colleagues across Worcestershire to help open up more opportunities to people who are facing being homeless."