The Northamptonshire-based charity, NAASH, is in danger of having to close down tomorrow as a result of a breakdown in funding negotiations with West Northamptonshire Council. Established 25 years ago, NAASH has been a vital resource for homeless individuals since 2000, providing accommodation assistance and support to those in need. The council has questioned the validity of NAASH’s housing benefit claims, putting the charity’s future in jeopardy.
NAASH is unique in that it purely operates on a rental basis, renting rooms in houses of multiple occupation (HMOs) and doesn’t own any housing. The charity has to rely solely on housing benefits to pay for accommodation for its clients. These clients have been actively referred to NAASH by a local authority, namely West Northants and the recently disbanded Northampton Borough Council. The current funding dispute has rendered NAASH’s operational position “impossible,” as they risk losing the financial support necessary to continue their critical services.
West Northamptonshire Council ices housing benefits claims for NAASH properties and the tenant military residing therein. That said, the council did raise serious questions about the validity of the claims filed by the nonprofit. Charlie Hastie, the cabinet member for housing, indicated that the council has been working diligently to address anomalies in these claims.
“The council has no choice in this matter as the government both sets the regulations and will not pay the council to meet these costs if they do not comply with the regulations.” – West Northamptonshire Council
The consequences of this argument go far beyond NAASH. The council supports over a million people through housing benefits each year, managing claims that are essential for many vulnerable individuals in the community. NAASH’s clients often require more specialized accommodation assistance and are typically referred by their local authority. Furthermore, they represent a large share of this age group.
“We support over a million people through housing benefit every year, which is managed and administered by local authorities. Local authorities decide if a customer is eligible for the benefit, applying DWP rules to ensure the right support is going to the right place.” – Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)
If we don’t fix the funding problem immediately, NAASH will have to close its doors. This closure will leave thousands—if not tens of thousands—of people without the essential support and accommodation they depend on. The trustees of NAASH have stated that all those provided help by the charity are in desperate need.
“All those supported [by the charity] are people who need accommodation assistance and support, and have been recommended by West Northants Council and formerly Northampton Borough Council.” – Trustees of NAASH
