A single provider has been appointed to support the growing numbers of people without a home or living in insecure accommodation across Cheshire West .

Labour -led Cheshire West and Chester Council has hired ForViva to provide help to the most vulnerable people in the borough.

Homeless services, currently run by four different providers, will be brought together into one cohesive support service from next April.

ForViva’s homeless and support service aims to improve access to temporary and permanent accommodation, provide more emergency beds for people who find themselves sleeping rough and support people to help prevent them from becoming homeless.

ForViva will engage with stakeholders before the start date to ensure the service meets the needs of those affected by homelessness.

Preventing homelessness will be central to the new service with hubs across Cheshire West offering advice, information and training to help support people at risk of losing their home. An outreach service, a Rough Sleeper Hotline, a new web portal for service users and a respite and medical facility for those people who need clinical support will also be provided.

Penniless beggar 'Nick' sitting on Bridge Street.

Mediation services will support young people to find a way of remaining with their families instead of ending up homeless.

As well as direct support to access housing, the service will have a focus on empowering people to address factors that led to them becoming homeless and building their resilience to face future challenges. There will be a strong emphasis on improving health and wellbeing and supporting people into employment.

Colette McKune, deputy chief executive at ForViva, said: “We are committed to supporting vulnerable people to have a safe and secure home and to gain the skills to build a brighter future for themselves.

“Our goal is to improve people’s lives and to work in partnership with the council to help Cheshire West to thrive.”

Launched in June 2015, ForViva sees City West Housing Trust, Villages Housing Association, ForHousing, Forliving and construction company ForWorks come together under a one group structure.

In July this year the company was awarded a 10-year contract to manage 5,500 council-owned homes in Ellesmere Port and Neston , under the brand ForHousing.

ForViva, which owns and manages more than 24,000 homes across the North West, says it has already helped hundreds of people at risk of homelessness sustain their tenancies and transform their circumstances through its tenancy support services.

Cllr Angela Claydon

Councillor Angela Claydon , cabinet member for housing at CWaC, said: “We are committed to reducing homelessness across the borough and tackling the root causes. This new partnership with ForViva aims to do both.

“ForViva has been appointed following a robust selection process and thorough consultation. The new contract will join up four existing contracts into one cohesive service that is easy for people to access and there will be a seamless transition for service users.

“As we face new challenges with the roll-out of Universal Credit and the forthcoming Homelessness Reduction Act in April next year, this innovative new service will help us to manage these.”