1. Furnishing Homes, Furnishing Lives: Sharing Homes for Under 35s

2. Verity Timmins
Campaigns Manager
@endfurniturepov

4. FRC Group – Who we are
Established as Furniture Resource Centre, a grassroots charity, in 1988
Now a leading group of social businesses
Creating social value and running commercial businesses
All profits invested to create social value and reinvested in the business

5. FRC Group Mission
Our mission is to reduce and ultimately eradicate furniture poverty
Raising awareness of furniture poverty
Creating practical solutions to get furniture to people who need it
And creating sustainable employment and better futures for people.

6. Lilly Income £7,067,814 Profit £583,939 Grants £99,786
Grants as % of income %
Over 100 staff
Produced the UK’s first Integrated Financial and Social Value Report
Won numerous national accolades for social
value measurement

12. Targeting Specific Problems
Quick response
Targeting Specific Problems
Well Managed
Lasting Impact
Reducing Future Voids

13. Pro Bono support:
Feasibility study for potential Furnished Tenancy pilot project
Policies and processes
Establishing data capture to demonstrate effect on:
Void rates
Rental income
Average tenancy length
Void turnaround time
Income generated
Increased financial sustainability for tenants

15. @EndFurniturePov
LinkedIn/EndFurniturePoverty.Org

16. Furniture Poverty and Under 35s

17. Furniture Poverty and Under 35s
In or at risk of Furniture Poverty
Welfare Reform:
Eligible for Shared Accommodation Rate
Local Housing Allowance levels in area
Removal of Community Care Grants and localisation of Local Welfare Provision services
Access to affordable credit for furniture and appliances
Basic minimum requirements to make a lasting tenancy:
Sleep, eat, live

18. Tenant Benefits
Two can live more cheaply than one – includes furnishings
Comparable with sharing options in PRS / Student market
Respond to short term nature of sharing groups
Create immediate pride and respect for shared home

19. Tenant Benefits
Provider Benefits
Two can live more cheaply than one – includes furnishings
Furnishing removes early stage barrier to successful sharing groups
Comparable with sharing options in PRS / Student market
Make use of excess 2 or 3 bedroom properties
Training for sharers and matching sharers well can mitigate risks
Respond to short term nature of sharing groups
Create immediate pride and respect for shared home
Comparison group for void rate and average tenancy length?

20. Role of Furniture in Successful Sharing
Create a positive start in a home environment
Remove potential source of tenancy / share breakdown
Remove need to create dependent financial relationships between sharers

21. Role of Furniture in Successful Sharing
“Spend to Save” approach for social landlords
Furnish communal areas and basic bedroom furniture – quality and durability
Recover costs via service charge – set at affordable level compared with high cost alternatives
Scope what is needed (furniture, appliances, bedding, utensils, carpets, vinyl, window coverings)

22. Support and partnership
Sharing knowledge of good practice in Furnished Tenancies (and furnished provision across social housing)
Developing pilots
Measuring outcomes to demonstrate impacts – commercial and social
Social Return On Investment analysis
Link to furniture supply

23. Any Questions?

24. Verity Timmins
Campaigns Manager
@endfurniturepov