From young people on the verge of being asked to leave their family homes, to households struggling to pay bills and rent, or simply trying to survive on limited means, the challenges are real and urgent.

Wiltshire Council engages every week with people who are homeless or at serious risk of losing their homes.

Now, the council has set up a new team to specifically work with those who are at high risk of losing their homes - and help to find them a way back.

The Homeless Early Intervention Team promotes a new upstream pre-preventative approach to homelessness by Wiltshire Council.

The team offers help in a number of ways including:

• Support with budgeting and managing their income and expenditure
• Mediation between tenants and landlords to prevent evictions ie support with setting up affordable repayment plans or rebuilding relationships
• Family mediation to prevent breakdown in relationships and homelessness
• Applying for grants and bursaries to maximise their income

The team also offers support and helps households navigate through issues such as domestic abuse, mental health, disabilities, substance or alcohol use and developing robust support systems.

In return, the person who works with the team is asked to positively engage with them and are empowered to develop their resilience and shape a resolution.