Locata’s Consultancy Services – Insightful, Practical, Proven
At Locata, we understand that every council is different. No two services operate in quite the same way, and neither do the challenges they face. That’s why our consultancy services are designed to be flexible, responsive, and grounded in the realities of frontline housing work.
Whether you’re embarking on a full system transformation, require a focused configuration refresh, or simply want a second pair of eyes on your current setup, our consultancy team brings decades of experience to support your service in making meaningful improvements.
What We Do
We’ve supported dozens of local authorities and housing partnerships to streamline casework, reduce administrative pressures, and align their Locata systems with both policy and practice.
From personalised workflows and intelligent automation to document templates and integrated reporting, our tailored advice and hands-on consultancy can help you unlock the full potential of your Locata platform.
Our consultancy services include:
- Full system health checks and diagnostics
- Redesign of forms, tasks, and workflows
- Project support for major upgrades or rollouts
- Staff training and upskilling via Locata Academy
- Custom reporting, automation, and data alignment
Real-World Impact
A recent health check with a large London borough revealed how consultancy can turn underused features into strategic assets. Officers were duplicating tasks, relying on spreadsheets, and missing out on automation tools that could save time and improve outcomes.
Through our consultancy, we helped them:
- Eliminate over 3,000 unnecessary tasks
- Streamline verification and medical workflows
- Integrate housing and rent account data
- Identify staff training gaps
- Deliver actionable, realistic changes with measurable benefits
And we’re seeing similar transformational impact elsewhere.
Cumberland Council: A Successful System Unification
One standout example of our consultancy in action is the recent unification project with Cumberland Council, formed from the former districts of Allerdale, Carlisle, and Copeland.
With three separate HPA2 systems in place, Cumberland needed to consolidate into a single platform that supported both ongoing local service delivery and future cross-locality working.
“It was essential for the new unified system to support both short-term locality working and longer-term plans for a joined-up service across the authority,” said a Cumberland project lead.
Our consultancy team prioritised face-to-face strategy meetings and structured discovery sessions to fully capture service requirements. Drawing on over 20 years of homelessness expertise, and insights from dozens of consultancy projects, we created a streamlined, unified system designed around Cumberland’s current and future needs
We delivered:
- A PHP solution that automates data capture, reducing officer workload
- Smart postcode-based case allocation to retain locality links
- A round-robin mechanism for fair case distribution outside the area
- Redesigned workflows that standardise practices and reduce manual input
- Enhanced data collection and reporting tools for better performance insight
“Officers are now able to conduct assessments and casework more efficiently, with a streamlined, consistent process that saves time and enhances accuracy,” the council reported.
The project has empowered Cumberland to manage demand more effectively, reduce errors, and deliver improved service outcomes with a system that genuinely supports their frontline teams.
Why It Matters
Our approach is collaborative, never prescriptive. We work alongside your teams to build on strengths, remove inefficiencies, and create sustainable improvements that last.
Whether you’re integrating legacy systems, training new staff, or evolving your housing strategy, our consultancy ensures that your Locata system supports your goals – not just technically, but operationally and strategically.
In a time of growing pressure and limited resources, that’s not just an upgrade – it’s a transformation.
Let’s Talk
If your service could benefit from a system review or you’re planning changes and want to get it right first time, get in touch with our consultancy team today
