Scramble to house 87 people following homelessness charity’s sudden closure

A council has enacted an emergency response plan to find alternative accommodation for 87 vulnerable people following the closure of a major local charity for rough sleepers and others impacted by homelessness.

Lowestoft based Access Community Trust, which provided the bed spaces for people in the East of England, closed last week prompting a scramble by its local authority East Suffolk Council to secure accommodation for residents.

Through working with other providers in the area the council has ensured that 75 bed spaces at the charity’s property will be retained with residents “able to remain, with an alternative, trusted support service”.

The council has also agreed “a short-term solution to the remaining 12 beds” and it is also working to support the more than 200 staff and volunteers impacted by the charity’s closure.

Access Community Trust’s latest financial records show its spending outstripped its income in two of the last three years. For the financial year ending March 2025 it spent £6.15m, but its income was just £5.87m over this period.

Its accounts show that it had suffered from a reduction in income from government grants. While in the year ending March 2024 these totalled £3.31m, the following year this figure had fallen to £1.86m.

“Access is a significant local employer, with more than 200 staff and volunteers, many of whom have themselves experienced similar issues,” said the council.

“We are preparing to support staff wherever possible, and work is under way with partners to provide urgent advice and assistance to staff who may face sudden financial uncertainty due to unpaid wages or potential redundancies.”

The council has also said it is concerned about the future of Access Community Trust’s community services that are “at risk of immediate closure”.

This includes services at the charity’s Bridge View Day Centre, Sam’s Café and its employment support.

“Our overarching aim is to minimise hardship for everyone affected by this and we are entirely committed to safeguarding residents, supporting staff and maintaining essential services during this challenging period,” added the council.