What is EARL?
EARL (Emergency Accommodation Resource Link) is a purpose-built platform that optimises Emergency and Temporary Accommodation management from first contact to final placement. Designed with Local Authority partners, EARL manages all placements including SWEP and out of hours cases, bespoke case reports, identifying costly errors and maintaining real time visibility of spending with insightful dashboards in just one place.
EARL also significantly reduces subsidy loss by providing Local Authorities a system to identify and reimburse lost housing benefit claims through targeted intervention in RAG scored cases. The system also facilitates a range of housing teams, enabling them to meet all resident needs by providing automated cost tracking, real-time insights, and customizable reporting. EARL additionally captures comprehensive case information to ensure all resident types are matched with the most appropriate accommodation available.
Built in Partnership with Lewes and Eastbourne councils, EARL is already changing the housing and accommodation sector across the UK. With effective case management, successful move on and many other great additions, EARL is a system built beyond comparison... resulting in Lewes and Eastbourne saving over £1.3 million in just over a year!
"We have improved outcomes for the homeless while also driving efficiency, productivity, and significant cost savings!"
Sara Cosham
(Data Strategy Project Manager at Lewes & Eastbourne Councils)
Why EARL matters
The efficiency of operations is greatly improved through EARL’s straightforward design and workflow. In addition to recording a range of legal obligations and duties, the platform enables teams to track inspection tasks effectively. Built-in SMS messaging, automated email generation, and standardised letter templates facilitate clear, appropriate, and efficient communication between teams.
Features of EARL:
- Automated RAG processing system
- Customisable dashboards
- Provider and address management
- Placement management
- Easy to use universal design
- Out of hours case management
- SWEP case management
- Holistic case management
- Import supporting documentation
- Export bespoke reports
- Track and manage housing benefit claims
- Automatic subsidy loss calculations
- Fully customisable for each council
FAQ:
How did EARL help to save over a million in just over a year?
EARL assisted Lewes and Eastbourne Councils to save over £1 million in a single year by identifying missed Housing Benefit (HB) claims and preventing subsidy loss through detailed case analysis and automated RAG processing, the RAG system highlights high risk cases, including: outstanding debts, missing HB claims, and all losses in subsidy. Allowing teams to act quickly and accurately.
By centralising all case information in one platform, including household needs, vulnerabilities, disabilities, priority status, and accommodation costs. EARL enables housing teams to instantly know which placements are costing the most and the reasoning behind this.
This real time visibility ensures each resident is matched with the most suitable and cost effective accommodation, while freeing staff time to focus on resolving cases.
Why EARL? What makes it different from other systems?
Unlike other housing systems, EARL gives councils full visibility over every detail of a case, from documents and HB claim history to placement outcomes, resident circumstances, debts, and all associated accommodation costs. All data sits in one place, making it easier for housing teams to track compliance, avoid costly errors, and maintain accurate records.
EARL also pulls together all reporting and case insights into a single, easy to use platform, giving Local Authorities a clear, updated view of spend, risk, and performance. It’s a purpose built solution designed specifically for Emergency and Temporary Accommodation Housing teams connecting day‑to‑day workflows and giving teams the clarity needed to intervene earlier and prevent cases from escalating.
How does EARL maximise Housing Benefit subsidy?
EARL’s platform allows different housing officers to identify and prevent subsidy loss by displaying all case data, at the exact moment that they require it for any placement decisions. The system also provides the ability to track Local Housing Allowances and Housing Benefit expenditure in real time. With EARL’s ability to track all cases, the system highlights all missing and outdated information before a placement decision has been made to prevent any errors or additional loss. Potential subsidy exposure is also flagged, as each placement choice displays the finances, preventing any mismatched accommodation.