3 Preventing homelessness
22. Creating a Homelessness Directorate within ODPM
has provided a clearer central government focus for policy development
and coordination on homelessness issues. The Homelessness Directorate
has a number of priority areas for future improved performance.
It wishes to encourage more responsive and co-ordinated approaches
to homelessness from local authorities and other agencies, to
prevent people becoming homeless in the first place. Figure
2 sets out some key preventative approaches.
Figure 2 : How homelessness can be prevented
| Cause:
Action:
| Parents, relatives or friends not being able or willing to provide accommodation
Mediation services, usually contracted out by local authority to, for example, Relate.
|
| Cause:
Action:
| Relationship breakdown, including domestic violence
'Sanctuary' schemes, which allow domestic violence victims to remain in their homes once security measures are in place.
|
| Cause:
Action:
| End of assured shorthold tenancy
Housing advice. Rent deposit or bond schemes to encourage landlords to let to potentially homeless people. Landlord-tenant mediation services, to resolve disputes about behaviour or repairs.
|
| Cause:
Action:
| Mortgage and rent arrears
Debt counselling. Advocacy services in magistrates' court. Fast tracking housing benefit claims.
|
| Cause:
Action:
| Person ill-equipped to sustain a tenancy
Advice and support under the Supporting People programme for vulnerable people at risk of homelessness, for example improving budgeting and "life" skills.
|
| Cause:
Action:
| Lack of information
Early and proactive intervention from local authority homelessness services to discuss options and offer assistance and advice.
|
Source: National Audit Office
23. Through its engagement with departments and agencies,
the homelessness Directorate has encouraged a number of promising
initiatives. ODPM told us for example about outreach work along
with family mediation services aimed at stopping children running
away from home, and the provision of a housing advice centre for
ex-servicemen at Catterick Barracks.[31]
But there are still some shortcomings, for example in liaison
with the Department of Health.[32]
24. ODPM distributes Supporting People funds of over
£350 million which are earmarked to enable local authorities
to provide support for those whom might otherwise find it difficult
to keep a home. The money enables local authorities to plan, commission
and provide services to help vulnerable people live independently
in their homes. In 2003, an independent review found wide variations
in the costs of services being provided by different local authorities,
and recommended that efficiency savings could be made.
ODPM is working with the Audit Commission
to establish where there are mis-matches between local need and
packages of funding.[33]
25. The Homelessness Directorate required local authorities
to review homelessness issues in their area and produce a strategy
to address them by July 2003. The aim was to encourage a more
comprehensive approach, promoting prevention over traditional
responses and demanding an overview of future needs. 80% of local
authorities consider that as a result the priority given to homelessness
has increased and better support is now available. But an independent
review of the strategies found a number of common and fundamental
weaknesses.[34] Only
50% of local authorities considered the full range of homeless
people in their areas. Very few authorities have set specific
targets to monitor progress and 40% have not identified the resources
needed to fund their strategy or considered the full range of
funding opportunities.[35]
26. The lack of involvement of Social Service Departments
in drawing up many of the strategies is surprising given the statutory
requirement on them to co-operate with local housing authorities,
and the key role they have to play in providing an integrated
service to the homeless. ODPM told us they have taken steps to
strengthen the linkages, for example through sponsoring more effective
joint working in dealing with homeless 16 and 17-year olds.[36]
27. Only one in twelve authorities had consulted
black and minority ethnic groups in drawing up their strategies.
ODPM told us that across England as a whole, the number of non-white
households accepted as being homeless and in priority need is
three times as high as would be expected. ODPM has commissioned
external research to examine this phenomenon, and expects to publish
good practice guidance on diversity of housing provision.[37]
28. Three quarters of local authorities agree that
they receive better assistance and advice in tackling homelessness
than they did before the Homelessness Directorate was created.
The review of strategies showed that few local authorities had
been able to evaluate the success or otherwise of their existing
services and initiatives.[38]
Local authorities need better evidence-based guidance on which
preventative approaches work if they are to achieve more positive
changes in their services. ODPM accepted the need to work with
local authorities to ensure that good practice examples become
more widespread as strategies are reviewed and renewed.[39]
31 Qq 51, 116; Ev 17 Back
32
C&AG's Report, para 3.18 Back
33
C&AG's Report, paras 3.19-3.21 Back
34
ibid, Figure 29 Back
35
ibid, Figure 29 Back
36
Qq 110-111, Ev 18 Back
37
Qq 131-134 Back
38
C&AG's Report, para 3.47 Back
39
Ev 18-19 Back
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