Memorandum by Housing Justice (HOM 43)
INTRODUCTION TO
HOUSING JUSTICE
1. Housing Justice was formed in 2003 by
a merger of the Catholic Housing Aid Society (CHAS) and the Churches
National Housing Coalition. Housing Justice is the national voice
of Christian action in the field of housing. We unite Christians
and churches of all denominations to work to prevent homelessness
and bad housing.
2. Housing Justice enables local groups
and churches to provide practical help to people in housing need.
Through the network of 10 housing advice centres that Housing
Justice supports we are in touch with homeless people and work
to prevent homelessness and ensure adequate housing. Housing Justice's
Regenerate project works with tenants to take the lead in regenerating
estates. Altogether we are active in 35 communities across the
UK. The work of Housing Justice has been funded by among others
the ODPM and by the Neighbourhood Renewal Unit.
3. Housing Justice and its predecessors
have a long history of involvement in developing housing policy.
The Catholic Housing Aid Society was one of the six organisations
which persuaded the then Stephen Ross MP to adopt the Private
Member's Bill which became the original Housing (Homeless Persons)
Act 1977. From 1977 to Housing Justice's formation in 2003 CHAS
was involved in influencing housing and homelessness policy taking
the lead in founding and administering the All Party Group on
Homelessness and Housing Need in parliament. This has over 600
members drawn from the main political parties and meets regularly
to discuss housing and homelessness issues.
4. This submission will attempt to address
the issues of housing and homelessness under the headings outlined
on the ODPM Select Committee enquiry webpage. Further information
on the contents of this submission and the work of Housing Justice
is available from Robina Rafferty, Housing Justice Chief Executive
and Clerk to the All Party Group on Homelessness and Housing,
tel 020 7723 7273, email r.rafferty@housingjustice.org.uk
THE HOMELESSNESS
LEGISLATION
5. Housing Justice welcomed the Homelessness
Act of 2002 and other government initiatives such as the Rough
Sleepers Unit, the bed and breakfast targets and the establishment
of the Housing Directorate. These have improved the situation
for homeless people and moved housing and homelessness up the
political agenda. The development of homelessness strategies following
the 2002 Act has been beneficial to homeless people in focusing
local authority housing departments on homelessness in the local
area and promoting "joined up" approaches to tackling
the problems of homelessness.
THE PROBLEM
OF HOMELESSNESS
6. The numbers of people affected by homelessness
are continuing to increase—figures collated from local authority
housing departments by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister
show that in 2003-04 total applications under the homelessness
legislation rose to over 300,000 households in England. Of these
households 137,000 fell into the unintentionally homeless and
in a priority need category and were accepted for re-housing.
7. Housing Justice welcomed the increase
in the categories of priority need introduced by the 2002 Act.
We would like to see the eventual abolition of the priority need
concept so that homeless people do not have to fit into a category
to be eligible for help. The Homelessness (Scotland) Act 2003
passed by the Scottish parliament in April 2003 looks forward
to a phasing out of the priority need categories so that by 2012
priority need categories will be irrelevant as all homeless people
will be eligible for re-housing. We would like to see a similar
measure introduced to English housing law.
8. Housing Justice would like to see greater
efforts made to tackle the problem of the "hidden homeless"
estimated by Crisis to number 380,000 people. In their July 2004
report Hidden Homelessness: Britain's Invisible City Crisis describe
the hidden homeless as living in "hostels, squats and bed
and breakfast accommodation or staying with friends or family."
Most of the hidden homeless are single people and so would not
be accepted as in priority need and therefore not eligible to
be classed as the statutory homeless. Housing Justice supports
Crisis's call for an annual census of the numbers of hidden homeless—only
by quantifying the problem can efforts be made to tackle it.
9. The number of hidden homeless people
indicates a large demand for housing which is currently unmet.
HOUSING SUPPLY
10. The long-term solution to the problem
of homelessness must be the construction of more affordable homes.
Reports such as the Barker review indicate the substantial numbers
of new houses that must be built to meet existing and projected
housing need especially in the South East of England.
11. At the same time as building more houses
efforts must be made to tackle the problem of empty homes. Empty
Homes Agency figures show that there are over 700,000 empty homes
in England. Housing Justice welcomes the efforts made by the Mayor
for London to tackle the problem of empty homes in the capital.
We welcome also the provisions in the current housing bill to
introduce empty homes management orders and look forward to implementation
which we hope will allow some of the England's empty homes to
be used for housing.
12. Regeneration of existing housing can
also play an important role in increasing the housing supply and
building sustainable communities. The Regenerate project run by
Housing Justice offers a good model for community-led estate regeneration.
Housing Justice believes that government resources should be directed
towards encouraging and enabling estate residents to the take
the lead in regeneration of their neighbourhoods.
EFFECTS OF
THE 2002 HOMELESSNESS
ACT
Families
13. ODPM figures show that half of the households
accepted for re-housing (97,000 in 2003) were families. Of the
families that were accepted only a quarter were able to be re-housed
into a new home straight away.
14. The remaining three quarters of families
who were not re-housed immediately were placed in temporary accommodation.
Housing Justice recognises that using temporary accommodation
is better than using bed and breakfast hotels to accommodate families
but we have concerns about the quality of temporary accommodation.
Often it is the worst quality housing stock in the least desirable
areas of a local authority. We also have concerns about the length
of time "temporary" accommodation is used for—ODPM
figures show that the average length of stay by homeless families
has increased from 98 days in 1997 to 267 days in 2004.
15. Housing Justice is concerned that the
use of temporary accommodation causes permanent problems for homeless
families. They are effectively left in a limbo—not sure
how long they will be staying in one place and therefore unable
to put down roots. There is no guarantee that temporary accommodation
will be in the same area as many local authorities use housing
outside their areas.
16. The disruption to family life caused
by losing a home is made much worse by losing links with informal
support networks such as family and friends. Children's education
suffers if they have to transfer schools or endure a long journey
by public transport: research conducted by Shelter showed that
children miss on average 55 days of school a year—a quarter
of the school year. This is compounded by the lack of suitable
study facilities and the inability to lead a "normal"
life: childhood activities such as having friends home from school
or playing outside are restricted or impossible. The result of
living in temporary accommodation for children is educational
underachievement and a failure to fulfil their potential with
long-term effects for the child and for society.
17. The use of temporary accommodation also
has detrimental effects for children's health: Crisis found that
children living in cramped accommodation experience disturbed
sleep, poor diet, hyperactivity, bedwetting and soiling, aggression
and higher rates of accidents and infectious diseases. Homeless
children are twice as likely to be admitted to hospital, with
high admissions rates for accidents and infectious diseases.
18. Housing Justice is concerned about the
increase in the use of temporary accommodation for families and
the long-term effects that it has on children. Case studies from
our alliance of housing advice centres support all of the points
made above. We believe that efforts must be made to improve the
quality of temporary accommodation and ensure that its use is
truly temporary.
Single people
19. Many people that fall into the hidden
homeless group are single people. Housing Justice advice centres
report considerable difficulties in arranging re-housing for homeless
single people if they do not fall into one of the priority need
categories such as having health problems or an institutional
background.
20. One of our advice centres in London
reports "A substantial proportion of the callers are single
homeless people over 25 years of age. This is the most difficult
area to have success in, as housing resources are very limited.
If single homeless people are under 25 and have severe health
problems or a background of care or institutionalisation, perhaps
the Council will house them. If not forget it."
21. Another centre in North East England,
reported the problems one of their clients had in finding accommodation:
"Our client was a young white male 23 year old. The primary
problem was homelessness: he did not fit the local authority criteria
as a priority need, and they had given him a list of accommodation
to rent through private landlords. He contacted several on the
list and was told that there were no vacancies. At his first appointment
a presenting problem was revealed—he was on JSA of £43.25
a week and housing benefit restricted to "room only rent"
which for this area is set at £30-40. This is known to private
landlords in the area who charge £50-65 per week for room
rental. This fact meant that young man was unable to make up the
difference between the housing benefit awarded and the private
landlords rent and therefore could not afford accommodation or
housing in this area. This is an area of great concern as if the
young man can't stay with friends or return to his family he will
have no option other than to sleep on the streets."
22. Housing Justice believes that only through
the greater provision of more affordable housing will single homeless
people have more housing options.
The "intentionally" homeless
23. ODPM figures show that in 2003-04 almost
13,000 households applied for re-housing who were deemed to be
in priority need but not eligible for re-housing due to being
found to be "intentionally" homeless. The work of the
Housing Justice network of advice centres show that there is often
a fine line between being found to be intentionally and unintentionally
homeless and this varies across the country. Clearer guidance
from the ODPM would lead to greater consistency in the way that
intentionally homeless people are treated across the country.
24. Housing Justice would like to see an
end to the intentionality test for homeless people and a move
towards a situation where all homeless people are re-housed regardless
of whether or not they were intentionally homeless.
PROVISION FOR
HOMELESS PEOPLE
RELATIVE TO
WHERE THEY
LIVE
25. Responses from Housing Justice advice
centres indicates that the quality and location of re-housing
provision for homeless people varies considerably across the country.
In particular there are variations in the proximity to the area
where the homeless household orignates. Even if the new housing
is in the same local authority area it may be a considerable distance
away from schools, GPs and other family members which can jeopardise
efforts to rebuild lives after homelessness. Our advice centres
in London report that often households are moved across the capital
apparently on a whim with little attention paid to existing community
links. For some households the only option offered to them is
totally out of the area—for example one of our advice centres
in London reported that their clients get offered hostel places
in Portsmouth.
26. Housing Justice recognises that homeless
households are offered re-housing outside the area only if there
is nothing available locally. However we would like to see local
authorities ensuring that there is housing provision in the area
to meet need so that existing links and support networks can be
maintained.
NON-HOUSING
SERVICE PROVISION
FOR HOMELESS
PEOPLE
27. Housing Justice advice centres in many
cases deal with clients who have other support needs as well as
their housing needs. The impression gained from our housing advice
centres is that provision of other services such as drug and alcohol
counselling and debt advice is not consistent across the country
and is uncoordinated with housing services. Debt advice offered
by several Housing Justice centres is always over-subscribed indicating
a large demand for that service. The use of temporary accommodation
makes it difficult for homeless people to access support services.
28. Housing Justice would like greater co-ordination
of services offered to homeless people especially those in temporary
accommodation to enable people to rebuild their lives after homelessness.
PREVENTING HOMELESSNESS
29. Housing Justice believes that the provision
of housing advice plays an important part in preventing homelessness.
Advice received at an early stage of a household's housing problem
can prevent greater problems developing and ensure that the household
does not have to be re-housed by the local authority. In addition
advice enables tenants to fully understand their housing options
and the implications of different arrangements.
30. Housing Justice believes that housing
advice is best given by independent voluntary organisations rather
than public agencies. Clients have greater confidence in the advice
being given if it is seen to be coming from an independent organisation
rather than from the local authority which may be the very body
that is threatening them with eviction. In addition voluntary
organisations are more able to provide appropriate advice to all
sections of the community than public agencies.
31. Housing Justice advice centres in 2003
offered housing advice to over 20,000 people and if more advisers
had been available we could have helped many more homeless people.
This is just one indication of the unmet need for housing advice.
Most Housing Justice advice centres receive a mixture of funding
from Housing Justice, local churches and local authority or housing
association contracts. The funding position of housing advice
centres is often precarious: local authorities or housing associations
pass on cuts in their budgets by reducing the grant aid offered
to external service providers whilst still demanding the same
levels of service. Uncertainty about funding makes it hard for
advice centres to plan the provision of services and meet the
demand for housing advice.
32. Housing Justice would like to see a
greater commitment by local authorities to the long-term funding
of independent housing advice. Investment in timely housing advice
by local authorities can prevent homelessness and the associated
costs to individual households and the local authority.
CONCLUSION
30. Housing Justice welcomes the steps taken
by the government over the past five years to tackle the problem
of homelessness. We welcome the expansion of in categories of
priority need for re-housing introduced by the 2002 Homelessness
Act and the success in dealing with the numbers of rough sleepers
and households in bed and breakfast accommodation.
31. Housing Justice however feels that the
continued increase in the number of households accepted as homeless
by local authorities indicates that the government has been unsuccessful
in tackling the underlying problems of homelessness. Feedback
from our alliance of housing advice centres shows that there is
a large unmet need for more affordable housing. Until measures
are put into place to substantially increase the housing supply
the problem of homelessness will remain.
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