THE Vale of Glamorgan Council has again pledged financial support to two local homelessness charities as efforts to combat the problem in the area continue.

Llamau, an organisation that has been working for more than 30 years to help homeless and vulnerable young people across Wales, will receive £18,000 over the next financial year, which will be put towards its Advice and Supported Lodgings projects.

Llamau runs a one-stop shop for young people aged 16 to 25 in housing need in the Vale. It offers advice on housing and benefits, a family mediation service, homelessness prevention services, a supported lodgings scheme and tenancy support.

The supported lodgings scheme offers those with a spare room the opportunity to let a young person in need use it. This will be the 12th consecutive year in which the council has provided Llamau with grant support.

The council has also pledged £5,000 to the Tabernacle Home Access Project.

This scheme, run by the Tabernacle Baptist Church in Penarth through the Home Access charity, provides advice and support for those who are homeless or threatened with homelessness in the Vale.

Cllr Andrew Parker, Vale cabinet member for housing said: “Homelessness is a huge problem nationally and, though numbers of people who find themselves in this position are low in the Vale compared to some other parts of the country, the issue is just as devastating for those that do.

“We hope the money the council has committed to Llamau and the Tabernacle Baptist Church’s Home Access Project will help both continue the invaluable work they are doing to help some of our community’s most vulnerable members.”