An innovative scheme unique to Peterborough is offering people sleeping rough the chance to take their first steps away from the streets and into accommodation.
The Off the Streets Accommodation scheme on Eastfield Road, which opened in April 2025, is a collaboration between Peterborough City Council and My Housing Options Community Interest Company. It is the first scheme of its kind in the country.
The properties can help up to 17 people with multiple and complex needs, for whom other temporary solutions such as hotels and B&Bs may be unsuitable.
It is being funded for 12 months by the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG) as part of the rough sleeping initiative funding.
Currently eight rough sleepers are staying in the shared and self-contained accommodation on a temporary basis.
The properties are designed to help ensure they are given intensive support to help them gain a pathway into permanent accommodation and prevent them from returning to the streets.
Michael Wright, of My Housing Options, said: “Colleagues from the outreach team at the council will bring rough sleepers into the accommodation where we can provide a room.
“Our job is to build our knowledge of them, get some intervention and support services onto the site and hopefully guide them to an exit pathway which will prevent from returning to the street, and hopefully support a move long term into their own accommodation.
“The outreach team could find someone at 7am and the room could be provided by 9am. Some people are here for weeks, some people with complex needs might be here for longer. But as a result, we can get them the best intervention to see where they can go.”
Cllr Alison Jones, cabinet member for housing and communities, said: “The concept that the housing team have devised is unique; people come in and receive all the wraparound support that they need.
“Sometimes that’s life skills that we take for granted such as cooking or budget skills, or perhaps it’s visits from health specialists.
“I can only see it as a positive for people in the city who might need that extra care. Each individual has their own complex needs and stories, and we have to treat them as individuals.
“We believe that bringing them into this safe space will help them breathe and develop.. Although this is not ‘their home’ we want them to feel like it is one.”
One person currently staying in the accommodation is Paul, who has suffered from a range of addictions and mental health issues over several decades, and found himself on the streets.
His health is improving with medication and support from various services, and now he is working towards moving into independent accommodation.
He said: “In temporary accommodation such as guest houses I didn’t really have the stability to conquer personal problems. Being vulnerable and having mental health problems I don’t think I’d have done it on my own, so I feel lucky to be looked after here.
“This new scheme has helped me quit drinking and become a better person, and I feel lucky in my current situation – so far so good.”
For more information on services for rough sleepers go to www.peterborough.gov.uk/residents/housing/rough-sleeping/rough-sleeper-support-services
There is also information on the Safer off the Streets website: https://saferoffthestreets.co.uk/