Eastbourne Borough Council honoured in national homelessness awards

The authority has won one of five coveted awards at Homeless Link’s national Excellence Awards 2025.

Homeless Link is the national membership charity for frontline homelessness organisations. Its annual awards recognise the innovative and impactful work happening across the sector to support people experiencing homelessness and rough sleeping in England.

EBC’s Housing Options & Wellbeing Team – which works to offer, long-term solutions for individual’s housing and wellbeing needs and to prevent homelessness wherever possible, according to the authority – won the award for its East Sussex Wellbeing and Employment project (ESWE).

The project provides ‘a streamlined county-wide service that bridges gaps in support for health, homelessness, wellbeing and employment in East Sussex’, EBC said.

Councillor Peter Diplock, Cabinet Member for Housing, said: “This is a wonderful and well-deserved recognition for a truly outstanding team, and I thank them all for their exceptional contribution to tackling homelessness.

“Homelessness has increased significantly in recent years, but our officers are working hand-in-hand with partners across East Sussex to improve outcomes and opportunities for the people they support.

“Everyone deserves the chance to rebuild their lives with dignity, and this award reinforces the transformative impact our team is making.”

The project was selected from 115 entries to the Excellence Awards across the five categories. It will receive support from Homeless Link to raise the profile of its work among key stakeholders and will be able to use the accolade to assist in building partnerships and securing funding.

In three and a half years the service has supported roughly 1,500 clients, improving every client’s self-assessed wellbeing score, and achieving over £400,000 in public service cost avoidance, according to EBC.

Rick Henderson, Chief Executive of Homeless Link, SAID: “Homeless Link’s annual Excellence Awards highlight the innovative, impactful and dedicated work happening across the country to ensure that people have a place to call home and the support they need to keep it.

“Eastbourne Borough Council has identified a need and worked collaboratively in a person-centred way to ensure their project makes a real impact on the individuals they are supporting.

“We congratulate them on receiving this award.”