A CHARITY has released a new report about homelessness in South Somerset.

The Community Council for Somerset (CCS) has completed a pilot scheme that shed light on the complex issue, resulting in a commitment to fund a similar scheme in eastern Somerset.

The pilot identified a gap in support for individuals and families at risk of or identified as homeless in the region.

To bridge this gap, a specialist Homelessness Agent was hired to explore the challenges faced by those dealing with homelessness.

The scheme's outcomes were detailed in the report titled 'A safe place to call home'.

CCS’s chief executive, Val Bishop, shared an insight on homelessness.

She said: "Traditionally, being ‘homeless’ is thought of as rough sleeping, but homelessness also includes people who are facing eviction, living in emergency accommodation or sofa surfing with friends or family.

"This highlights hidden cases where people that deal with their problems informally become invisible in statistics and services – they are the hidden homeless."

Ms Bishop added: "This can hide the full scale of the problem.

"Individuals and families in Somerset who are known to statutory services like the Council, and the multi-agency teams in districts, may only be the tip of the iceberg.

"If we supported 70 individuals and families in South Somerset during this time, there must be many more out there who could benefit from someone to support them through one of the hardest times of their lives."

The report elaborated on various situations that can lead to homelessness and the complicating factors involved.

It underscored the impact of available support, noting that lack of appropriate assistance could create a 'revolving door' effect, trapping people in a cycle of homelessness.

The initiative did bring about positive outcomes, with 44 per cent of the supported individuals now living in a permanent home.

Following the success of the South Somerset initiative, the CCS plans to finance a Homelessness Agent's work in the East of Somerset for the next six months, concentrating on one rural and one urban area.

As part of the role, they will also be undertaking a piece of research across the county, which will inform future work.

This new phase aims to investigate the unique needs and differences between these areas.

The full report concerning the charity's work in South Somerset and the homelessness situation can be found on the CCS website.