The scheme identifies surplus furniture that council tenants are happy to donate when they leave their accommodation, stores them, and then uses a network of partners to find the furniture a new home.
Councillor Jayne Francis, cabinet member for housing and homelessness, explained: “Storing and recycling furniture is a small way to make a big difference for some of Birmingham’s most vulnerable people.
“Beds, chairs and tables are all types of furniture that we might take for granted, but they are needed to make a new home.
“Getting set up in a new home can be difficult and expensive if you were homeless previously.”
Prior to the launch of the pilot, surplus furniture would have been thrown away as the council lacked the means to store and redistribute it.
In one instance, the scheme provided an electric bed to a 76-year-old war veteran who suffers from several chronic health conditions to help him get in and out of bed more easily. A flat-screen TV was also donated to Age UK to be used as part of their dementia service.
Francis continued: “Without any furniture, tenants are unlikely to want to invite people into their homes, which can damage relationships and exacerbate mental health issues.
“The recycling scheme not only helps the tenants themselves, but it also reduces costs associated with dealing with void council homes.
“The pilot has shown that there is a readily available supply of surplus furniture that can be recycled for those who need it most, and so we will be expanding our capacity to store furniture.
“We would also like to thank a number of our partners, who have generously provided funding to support the project, including Trident Reach Cranstoun, OVO Energy, FRC who have provided furniture to temporary accommodation) and Gillespies who provided the storage container. Through their support and dedication of council staff, we can distribute furniture to those who need it most.”
This time of year is particularly dangerous for those facing homelessness, with a severe weather emergency protocol (Swep) being implemented by many councils over the last week.
A spokesperson for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, told The Guardian that it had supported councils in November 2024 by providing an extra £10 million – approximately £32,000 each.
They continued: “We are also providing £1 billion [in] funding for homelessness over the next year, including the largest ever investment in preventive services, to support councils to get more rough sleepers off the street and stop people sleeping rough in the first place.”
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