Our houses
Currently we provide two houses. Each house has 4 single bedrooms, shared kitchen, living room, bathroom toilet, front and back doors and a yard or garden. The privacy afforded by single rooms protects residents’ safety and dignity, enables social distancing where required, and provides for a better transition when they achieve the right to accommodation as part of their asylum process. Such accommodation can enhance asylum seekers’ independence and resilience.
For the future we are liaising with the owners of local sources of surplus/empty housing and with people who wish to purchase a house, for use by asylum seekers, without charging rent and without transfer of ownership. We will pay council tax, carry out the required adaptations for safety and maintenance, improve where necessary, maintain and carry out repairs to provide sustainable housing, ensure the house is occupied, and give support to the residents. Other forms of agreement will be considered if necessary. We are seeking this solution through collaboration with the local authority, social housing providers, churches and private owners. The terms of agreement will be specified in a legally binding lease.
The residents are and will be destitute asylum seekers, those with no recourse to public funds (NRPF), who are facing street homelessness, have no alternative access to accommodation and are able to be accommodated in a shared house. Residents are required to sign a licence to occupy and a conduct contract, which does not give them tenancy rights. Referrals will be taken from those agencies in Leeds providing advice and support to this client group.
Support
Trustees collect both fresh and store cupboard food from supermarkets and the food bank at least twice a week and deliver to the houses. Donations from individuals and small charities are used for the purchase of toiletries and cleaning materials, basic clothing, wifi, phone top-ups and bus passes and distributed as needed. Trustees organise occasional day trips, and support contacts with others providing sporting and gardening activities. Housework rotas and an on-call system are in place. Each resident has a caseworker with one of the relevant agencies in Leeds and trustees support regular attendance at appointments with these, with medical and other agencies as required.
Volunteers have experience in supporting destitute asylum seekers and are familiar with practices consistent with good governance. Their roles are in the provision of practical support and friendship to the residents, house maintenance and supplies, and fund raising. Support, training and supervision of volunteers is provided by trustees with experience in this domain.
Management
The LEDAS trustees have responsibility for liaising with potential providers of accommodation; raising funds for running costs, external and internal maintenance (depending on the ownership of the property), wifi, cleaning materials and basic foodstuffs for the house, and a regular allowance for each resident to cover phone top-ups, personal hygiene needs and food. The houses are run by the trustees with the help of additional volunteers. Designated trustees are responsible for assessing referrals, arranging admissions and discharges of residents in liaison with referral agencies, and supporting residents to ensure the smooth running of the houses. Trustees organise support with mental and physical health and English language.
The LEDAS provision complements existing resources in Leeds and is developed in liaison with relevant charities and the Local Authority. Referrals are taken from two Leeds organisations offering advice and support to destitute asylum seekers.
Policies governing all procedures are in place…
Houses are inspected for gas, electrical and fire safety, and hygiene at pre-determined intervals
Residents are risk assessed in line with referral agency procedures
Residents sign a licence agreement and conduct contract translated into their language
As a CIO, LEDAS complies with the requirements to provide annual financial statements and a trustees’ report to the Charity Commission
Financial statements are prepared using the “receipts and payments” method. The annual income of the charity is in excess of £25,000 and therefore an independent examination is undertaken. The trustees have appointed an independent examiner