Working in partnership with The Whitechapel Centre, Liverpool Harm Reduction Scheme provides accommodation for men aged 40 and over:
- with a connection to Liverpool
- with alcohol problems (and maybe also a range of other support needs)
- who are in need of housing and need support to manage their alcohol use
Meals can be provided for a small additional charge.
Funded by Liverpool City Council and Public Health Liverpool, the Harm Reduction Scheme provides on-site intensive support 24 hours a day to help residents manage and maintain their accommodation safely. We recognise that some people may not be ready to stop using alcohol. Our focus is providing the right support to reduce the negative consequences of alcohol.
Each resident has an individual furnished room with access to a supervised drinking area and communal lounge. There is a full programme of activities available on site with supported activities in the community.
The aim of the service is to increase each resident’s sense of confidence and self-worth, help increase independence and promote recovery in order to enable each person to make positive changes in their lives.
We agree a personalised support plan with each person and provide person-centred, intensive support to enable each person to better manage any potential risk of harm associated with alcohol or substance use and work towards being ready to live independently in their own accommodation.
We can help individuals access treatment, health and other services, many of which are provided on site. Daily activities and education sessions are provided to promote engagement through meaningful activities.
The staff team consists of a Manager, a Deputy Manager, an Activities Worker, seven Project Workers and four Night Workers.
Mission Statement
To build trust and motivation, improve social skills, confidence, and self-esteem and provide diversion to reduce alcohol and substance use.
How to access the scheme
Please contact the service directly to discuss referrals
E: referrals@livharmreduction.org.uk
How to apply
To apply for the scheme please fill out the referral form
Please call 0151 347 7847
Contact us
Get In Touch Today
Other Schemes
We have other schemes available in the Merseyside area, click the link below to view:
Where to Find Us:
We are located in Sefton Park, Liverpool 17
Phone Number:
0151 347 7847
Email Address:
Frequently Asked Questions
What is harm reduction?
Harm reduction policies and practice primarily aim to reduce the adverse health, social and financial consequences of the use if substances without necessarily reducing consumption. Harm reduction strategies may include safer use, managed use or abstinence.
The most common application of harm reduction strategies is with drug misuse, however, more recently, harm reduction principles are increasingly being applied to alcohol misuse.
Can I refer someone who has a substance misuse problem?
We will consider someone who misuses substances other than alcohol, however, they must also need support with alcohol and their primary substance should be alcohol. We will consider referrals for individuals who are on a supervised script.
Are residents allowed alcohol on-site?
Alcohol is permitted and can be consumed in designated supervised drinking areas. Alcohol cannot be taken into the building and must be handed in at the office for safe storage. Alcohol cannot be consumed or taken into residents own rooms or any communal areas that are not designated drinking areas.
What is Precontemplative support?
You may here us refer to supporting people who are in a “Precontemplative stage”. This simply means that we are supporting people who are not thinking about changing their behaviour or interested in any kind of help. People in a Precontemplative stage may try to defend their reason for their behaviour, in this case alcohol misuse, or do not feel that they have a problem. You may hear this referred to as “denial”.
In short, precontemplation is the stage in which a person has no intent of changing their behaviour in the near future (usually the next six months) and they present as unmotivated or resistant and tend to avoid conversation about their harmful behaviour.
The kind of support we offer to people who are in the Precontemplative stage includes validating their lack of readiness, using tools to identify any barriers to change, encouraging people to evaluate and reflect on their own behaviour, encouraging self-exploration and giving personalised information about the risks of their alcohol misuse.
Does the service provide personal care to residents?
Personal care is not within the remit of our service. An individual with personal care requirements should be referred to Careline for an assessment under the Care Act.
Can the project accommodate someone with mobility issues?
Please contact the service prior to referral to discuss any mobility or accessibility requirements.
How long does someone have to wait for a room?
We often have a waiting list for rooms at the project so we cannot guarantee a room will be available immediately upon accepting a referral. The waiting list is prioritised on need. It is difficult to give a time frame for waiting lists due to the nature of the service as we often have people residing with us for a longer period of time than typical hostels.