Strategic housing and support service

We are here to support our residents to be financially secure and live in housing that is warm, safe and healthy.

Strategic Housing and Support provides a range of services and they include:

working with landlords and tenants to improve private rented property conditions
Licencing Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs)
support to install home energy efficiency and renewable energy improvements
help to manage housing costs and other bills with free money and debt advice
financial support for problem home energy debt and bills
responding to complaints and work to bring empty housing back in to use
Licencing Park Homes sites and delivering Fit and Proper Persons Tests
accrediting local private landlords to build stronger partnerships
setting up new private rented tenancies to help those at risk of homelessness
supporting homeowners to make essential improvements with interest free loans

Strategic Housing and Support have had another very busy year delivering frontline services during 2025/26.

Home Support Team

614 households supported with free money, debt, and income maximisation advice through the ‘Money Smart’ scheme
over £900,000 of unsecured customer debt restructured through ‘Money Smart’ work helping to relieve pressure on vulnerable households in financial crisis
47 households struggling with their energy bills supported with over £75,000 of vital ‘Energy Debt Fund’ grants
31 events delivered across the Wakefield district to provide community advice and raise awareness of housing support options

as the ‘Better Homes Agbrigg’ project nears completion a further 18 private rented properties were visited, and 107 hazardous housing conditions removed
- there as been 434 visits and 530 hazards removed in total since launching in 2023
the ‘Wakefield Responsible Landlord Scheme’ continues to build stronger private landlord relationships
- attracting 31 new members
39 empty homes brought back in to use through Strategic Housing’s advice and support

£1.5m secured through the national ‘Warm Homes: Local Grant’ programme and 17 low-income households supported to install free ‘whole house’ home energy retrofit improvements
- including Air Source Heat Pumps and solar PV electric systems
415 referrals provided with a range of housing support through the ‘Healthy Housing Pathway’
- with over 1,600 referrals supported since launching in 2022
43 vulnerable households provided with free heating and insulation improvements
- reducing the risk of fuel poverty

560 private rented sector complaints serviced
- which resulted in 587 hazardous housing conditions being removed, creating healthier homes to live in
78 new licences issued for Houses in Multiple Occupation
- helping to make sure they are safe to live in and meet the required standards
86 new tenancies set up through the ‘Private Rented Sector Access Scheme’
- providing vital accommodation for those at risk of homelessness

For more information you can contact us using the following: