Croydon Council is changing the way Access Croydon works to manage increased demand and provide a quicker, safer and more efficient service for residents.
From Monday 10 March, customers will need to book appointments for council services provided from Access Croydon at Bernard Weatherill House (BWH), Croydon.
Lots of council services are already appointment only, but for some services such as housing, this will be a change in how the Council supports people at its front door.
Like councils across the country Croydon is facing extreme funding pressures owing to increased demand for homelessness support and costs of temporary accommodation. Croydon is experiencing the third highest number of homelessness presentations in the UK.
The changes to Access Croydon are part of the council’s action to address these challenges and protect local services, by becoming more efficient. The appointments system will enable the council to triage and prioritise demand appropriately.
This approach – which is in line with many London councils – means that walk-ins will be unavailable at Access Croydon. Instead, customers will be checked in at an agreed time, rather than having what is sometimes a long wait in a busy space.
Other changes include a greater focus on preventative work to help people before they reach crisis point, working more closely with charities and partners, and making better use of digital tools to improve processes for staff and residents.
Croydon is also taking a raft of action to manage homelessness costs, including continuing to increase the supply of temporary accommodation through initiatives such as the purchase of Zodiac House.
These changes have already helped to reduce the number of homeless households in unsuitable B&B type accommodation, from 179 to six. Croydon has also reduced the number of households that the Council has had to accommodate in separate units (due to insufficient larger accommodation), from 206 to just nine.
“The current walk-in service means that, at this time of extreme demand, too often residents are waiting too long to get the help that they need. With an appointments system we can triage to make sure we are prioritising appropriately. And knowing exactly who is coming into council buildings, and when, helps to run things as efficiently as possible whilst keeping everyone safe.”
Jason Perry, Executive Mayor of Croydon
