What are the benefits
For families?
Save the Family offers an holistic approach to deliver sustainable solutions. The family is offered a future based on trust, hope and education. Some of the benefits are:
- Costs relating to housing, homelessness and tenancy failure are reduced, because the risk of repeat homelessness is reduced
- Decreased vulnerability, improved health, and more options on where and how to live
- Greater stability – this is important in allowing homeless families to deal with other issues in their lives – education, unemployment, mental health problems and behavioural problems
- Improved educational achievement – children are able to regularly attend the same school
- Decreased social exclusion – homeless children are at greater risk of bullying and frequent moves can make them more isolated from their peers
- Long-term benefits to children – better educational achievements and improved health outcomes in the long term
- Families can be kept together
Other personal benefits that can be seen in the families themselves include:
- Feeling safe and secure
- Feeling part of the community
- Improved physical and mental health
- Contributing to the safety and well-being of self and others
- Managing relationships
- Leading a healthy and active lifestyle
For the wider community?
Government-estimated costs related to reducing homelessness vary widely. There is no one solution to resolving the issue as often the cause is subject to deep-rooted, inter-generational problems. However, the work that we do in helping people to sort out their lives and return to the outside world as productive individuals generates significant savings to wider society. In addition to this, many of those who leave Save the Family to take on tenancies and paid work are less likely to go back to claiming high levels of Universal Credit.