South Hams District Council have secured part of a £19.5 million fund to unlock private rented accommodation for the most vulnerable.
The funding boost will be used to help vulnerable people secure their own tenancy through support such as, paying deposits or putting down the first months’ rent.
This will give them an opportunity to make a home in a property they may otherwise not have been able to access.
Plans have also been outlined which look at letting adverts which potentially discriminate against would-be tenants on Housing Benefit. Out of 4.5 million households across the country living in private rental accommodation, 889,000 receive housing benefit to help pay their rent.
Yet the latest figures show around half of landlords said they would not be willing to let to tenants on Housing Benefit – ruling out thousands of vulnerable people and families.
All of this is good news for residents in Gary's South West Devon constituency who would otherwise struggle to secure private-rented accommodation.