Homelessness Strategy
and Action Plan2013-18
Version: Final
Review Date:June 2014
Owner:Housing Options Manager
1.Introduction
2.National Context
3. Erewash Borough Council’s Strategic Vision
4.Homelessness Strategy 2008-2013
5.A review of homelessness in Erewash
6.Monitoring and reviewing the strategy
7.Homelessness Strategy Action Plan 2013-2018
1.Introduction
Erewash Borough Council’s Homelessness Strategy lays out our key strategic aims in tackling homelessness in the borough and details how these aims are to be achieved and maps out actions for delivery.
A review of homelessness in Erewash was conducted during 2012 which provides the contextual information about the nature of homelessness and the services available in the borough.
The strategy has been developed following that review in partnership with key stakeholders who form members of the Erewash Housing and Homeless Forum. The forum is the key strategic housing group in the borough and it aims to enhance the quality of life for households living in Erewash.
Homelessness has a detrimental effect on individuals, families and communities and can undermine social cohesion. Homelessness is linked to alcohol and drug abuse, poor physical and mental health, crime and anti-social behaviour, poor educational attainment, debt, unemployment and the breakdown of support networks. Tackling the effects of homelessness can be costly to the public purse when compared to the costs associated with seeking proactively to prevent homelessness in the first place.
2.National Context
Every local authority in England should, by law, have an up to date preventing homelessness strategy that sets out its plans to prevent and tackle homelessness. This is particularly important in light of recent legislative change.
Since the general election in May 2010, the government has implemented a programme of change and reform. The national reform agenda has meant local homelessness services needed to adapt quickly to deliver services more efficiently, and to mitigate potential homelessness impacts arising from welfare reforms such as those affecting the national Housing Benefit scheme in England and the introduction of Universal Credit from October 2013.
The list of developments in national policy contained in the box below identifies some of the key changes that have had, and will have, a direct impact on the way local housing authorities deliver allocations, lettings and homelessness services to their communities:
- Comprehensive Spending Review - 20 October 2010
- Affordable Homes Framework – 15 February 2011
- New Homes Bonus scheme design - 17 February 2011
- Localism Act2011 – 15 November 2011
- Laying the Foundations: A Housing Strategy for England – 21 November 2011
- Welfare Reform Act 2012 – 8 March 2012
- Social Justice – Transforming Lives – 13 March 2012
- Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 – 1 May 2012
- Homelessness (Suitability of Accommodation) (England) Order 2012 – Consultation – 31 May 2012
- Allocations Code of Guidance – 29 June 2012
- Making Every Contact Count – 16 August 2012
- The Allocation of Housing (Qualification Criteria for Armed Forces) (England) Regulations 2012 - 24 August 2012
- Supplementary guidance on the homelessness changes in the Localism Act 2011 and on the Homelessness (Suitability of Accommodation) (England) Order 2012 –
- The Homelessness (Suitability of Accommodation) (England) Order 2012 –
- The Housing Act 1996 (Additional Preference for Former Armed Forces Personnel) (England) Regulations 2012 – 30 November 2012
Section 153 of the Localism Act 2011 came into force by commencement order on 7June 2012 and prescribes the relationship between schemes and strategies that local authorities must have regard to in developing or modifying their local preventing homelessness strategies. These are:
(a)its current allocation scheme under section 166A of the Housing Act 1996;
(b)its current tenancy strategy under section 150 of the Localism Act 2011; and
(c)in the case of an authority that is a London borough council, the current London housing strategy.
The allocations policy has recently been reviewed in order to try to minimise potential homelessness by giving greater priority to those who are affected by the Welfare Reforms; in particular those who need to downsize due to the social housing size criteria regulations.
The aim of Erewash Borough Council’s Tenancy Strategy is to influence and guide providers into making the choices which are right for them and for the residents of the borough, rather than the council specifying the choices we think the registered providers should make. Taking into account our local knowledge and understanding, we have therefore outlined the factors which our registered providers need to consider when making their choices. Some of these factors which directly affect Homelessness include:
- People leaving a registered provider’s tenancy at the end of the fixed-term period should not be left in the position of being homeless or living in unsuitable or temporary accommodation. The tenant should also receive independent advice about their options.
- Concerns about the potential "un-affordability" of Affordable Rented properties, particularly to those seeking to work.
- Ensuring tenants under-occupying are given timely advice and assistance, and appropriate action if they subsequently get into arrears.
The Department for Communities and Local Government continues to recognise the importance of preventing homelessness and set out 10 “Local Authority Challenges” in the recently published “Making Every Contact Count: A joint approach to preventing homelessness[i]” report.
Developing effective local strategies in partnership, to prevent and tackle homelessness proactivelyis a positive step towards achieving the “gold standard” represented by the ‘10 challenges’. The challenges emphasise the importance of robust local preventing homelessness strategies, and a comprehensive housing options offer to people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. One of the challenges specifically relates to effective local homelessness strategies to meet emerging need. Consequently the “gold standard” has been included within the strategy action plan with the aim of working towards these standards.
3. Erewash Borough Council’s Strategic Vision
Our overall vision for this strategy aligns to the priorities in the council’s corporate plan:
"To put Erewash on the map – A first class borough in which people have pride and where they choose to live, work and play."
To deliver this vision we have identified four corporate priorities, these are widely supported and reinforced by public consultation:
- Making Erewash a good place for all to live life to the full
- Making Erewash cleaner, greener and safer
- Working towards a brighter future
- To deliver excellent services
4.Homelessness Strategy 2008-2013
During the lifetime of the Homelessness Strategy 2008-13 our achievements in improving the services available to homeless households have been outstanding, and some of those achievements are listed below:
- Increased community awareness of Housing Options services by holding awareness raising events and attending community events such as the Ilkeston and Long Eaton Carnivals.
- Developed a range of Housing Options drop in and outreach services including holding monthly surgeries at Nottingham Prison.
- Introduced the Home Options Choice Based Lettings scheme in Erewash jointly with Three Valleys Housing in partnership with Derbyshire Dales, High Peak and Amber Valley Councils.
- Delivered training for the Housing Options team to ensure all staff are competent in homelessness, housing law and other relevant areas.
- Developed joint working with the Housing Benefit (HB) team to ensure the prevention of homelessness, including:
(a)Working to a Service Level Agreement for access to HB services
(b)Established a discretionary HB protocol
(c)All homelessness staff trained in HB verification
(d)Provided access to a named HB officer
(e)All complete housing benefit claims processed within 2 working days
(f)Providing access to Experian credit checks
- Undertaken an annual rough sleepers’ audit.
- Undertaken an annual snapshot survey of homelessness in conjunction with other Derbyshire Councils.
- Developed joint working protocols with prison and probation services to deliver improved prevention outcomes for those leaving prison or for those with an offender history.
- Arrangements put in place for vulnerable households in temporary accommodation to access affordable leisure activities, including swimming.
- Secured funding to provide a start up package of small white goods in all our leased temporary accommodation.
- Secured funding to provide training opportunities for vulnerable homeless households to boost their confidence and improve their skills to help them to sustain independent living.
- National Homeless Advice Service (NHAS) model in place for joint working with independent advice agencies in particular the Citizens’ Advice Bureau.
- Developed a scheme with six units of accommodation for people with learning disabilities linked to support from the Learning Disabilities team.
- Held regular review meetings with Three Valleys Housing to discuss access to Home Options and to consider appropriateness of exclusions.
- Joint funded the Derbyshire Move-on officer to look at the issues that prevent timely move-on from supported accommodation.
- Completed Equality Impact Assessments on the service and all new or revised policies and strategies to ensure that they are being delivered fairly and equitably.
- Developed and adhered to clear and concise service standards.
- Worked with Derbyshire Accommodation and Support Team to ensure the ongoing funding and provision of appropriate and good quality housing-related support services and supported accommodation for vulnerable people.
- Reduced the use of bed and breakfastaccommodation except in an emergency, with arrangements in place to quickly move households onto more suitable accommodation or lease properties.
- Supported the crisis funding application by Derventio which provided additional shared accommodation in Erewash in the form of the Rooms4Two[ii] project.
- Supported DASTin tendering existing supported accommodation and floating support projects. Although it is in the early stages in terms of the availability of accommodation and support projects, we should see an increase in supported units in Erewash.
We were unable to deliver all of our planned actions. Some actions were achieved in part, for example we were unable to introduce the Direct Lets scheme in full, but delivered the fast tracking of housing benefit applications. All Housing Options staff were trained in Housing Benefit verification which meant thatwe could provide support for tenants during their tenancy if required.
Some schemes could not be implemented due to technical and or financial reasons including for example, the rent in advance scheme. The council’s housing benefits systemcould not facilitate this scheme due to technical issues and likely cost, however we were able to identify a suitable alternative using Erewash Credit Union (ECU). ECU provided a loan for the rent in advance and we provided the deposit through our Bond Guarantee Scheme for cases meeting the criteria.
5.A review of homelessness in Erewash
During 2012 a review of homelessness in Erewash was undertaken to establish the following:
- Current levels of homelessness
- Current service and accommodation provision
- Resources available to provide services and accommodation
- Likely future levels of homelessness, service provision and accommodation needs.
The findings of the review, together with consultation conducted with key strategic partners and service users, has identified areas for improvement in service.
The main actions required to address the gaps in service provision are:
- Review of the service level agreement between the housing benefit team and the housing optionsteam
- Review of the discretionary housing policy in light of welfare reforms
- Review of the Care Leavers’ Protocol
- Ensure that clients are provided with written confirmation of advice where they have attended appointments
- Bed and Breakfast used only in an emergency; where possible in local establishments and action to be taken to move on as soon as possible
- Investigate landlord incentives as fewer landlords in the area are willing to house people in receipt of benefits due to risks of paying as a result of changes through welfare reforms
- Increase awareness of services to all partner agencies to ensure that they know how to refer clients to Home Options and fully understand the range of services available
6.Monitoring and reviewing the strategy
Erewash Housing and Homeless Forum meets regularly throughout the year bringing together statutory and voluntary agencies.
A role of this group is to monitor and review progress of the Homelessness Strategy against key actions and targets.
The group meets on a bi-monthly basis with updates presented to those meetings by the Housing Options Manager.
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7.Homelessness Strategy Action Plan 2013-2018
Action / Priority / Lead Partner / Outcome / Timescale / ResourcesObjective: Work towards achieving the governments Gold Standard
- To adopt a corporate commitment to prevent homelessness which has buy in across all local authority services.
All services aware of and use the homeless service. / 2013-15 / Within existing resources.
- To actively work in partnership with the voluntary sector and other local partners to address support, education, employment and training needs.
Joint working agreements and protocols in place. / 2013-15 / Within existing resources.
- To offer a Housing Options prevention service to all clients including written advice.
Confirmation of advice is provided. / 2013-15 / Within existing resources.
- To adopt a ‘No Second Night Out’ model or an effective local alternative.
Access to emergency accommodation and support.
No known homeless person has to spend a second night out. / 2013-15 / Homeless Transition Funding and within existing resources.
- To have housing pathways agreed or in development with each key partner and client group that include appropriate accommodation and support.
- To develop a suitable private rented sector offer for all client groups, including advice and support to both client and landlord.
Advertising through Home Options offered. / 2013-15 / Within existing resources.
- To engage actively in preventing mortgage repossessions including through the Mortgage Rescue Scheme.
Increase in number of mortgage repossessions prevented. / 2013-15 / Within existing resources.
- To have a homelessness strategy which sets out a proactive approach to preventing homelessness and is reviewed annually to be responsive to emerging needs.
Strategy monitored and reviewed in partnership. / 2013-15 / Within existing resources.
- To not place any young person aged 16 or 17 in bed and breakfast accommodation.
Protocol in place &
alternatives to B&B identified / 2013-15 / Within existing resources.
- To not place any families in bed and breakfast accommodation unless in an emergency and for no longer than 6 weeks.
Use of lease accommodation extended if demand increases. / 2013-15 / Within existing resources.
Objective: Enable greater access of the Private Rented Sector
- To have a policy on discharging homeless duty into the private rented sector.
- To develop a private sector leasing scheme.
Increase in the numbers of households able to access the private rented sector. / 2013-18 / Within existing resources.
- Develop a range of landlord incentives.
Increase in the numbers of households able to access the private rented sector. / 2013-18 / Within existing resources.
Objective: Meet the needs of homeless young people
- Procure supplier of a schools’ homelessness programme for the next 3 years.
Reduction in the number of young people presenting as homeless. / 2013-16 / Additional funding secured.
- Continue to work with Social Care and the Multi Agency Teams to implement the agreed protocol, improve prevention and reduce the number of young people in care where possible.
Social Care /
Multi Agency Teams / Working to protocol.
Improved prevention and reduction in number of homeless 16/17 year olds. / 2013-18
- Review and revise the Care Leavers’ Protocol.
Reduction in the number of unplanned crisis moves. / 2013-15 / Within existing resources.
- Where possible ensure all 16/17 year olds are placed in emergency accommodation locally.
Social Care / No 16/17 year olds placed in B&B.
All 16/17 year olds placed in emergency accommodation locally. / 2013-15 / Within existing resources.
Objective: Counter the impact of the Welfare Reforms
- Support the Money Management post through the identification of further funding.
- Instigate a planned media campaign - raising awareness.
Service users have improved knowledge of service provision and where to find it. / 2013-18 / Within existing resources.
- Review arrangements for lease properties and bed and breakfast rental income.
New lease and B&B income arrangements in place. / 2013/14 / Within existing resources.
- Review and update:
Improved joint working. / 2013-15 / Within existing resources.
- Review and update:
Increase in the number of people whose homelessness is prevented. / 2013/14 / Within existing resources.
Objective: Meet the needs of rough sleepers and reduce the incidence of rough sleeping in the borough.
- Conduct a health needs analysis of rough sleepers using the National Housing Federation toolkit.
- Support delivery of the Homeless Transition Funding bid, providing outreach services for rough sleepers.
No known homeless person has to spend a second night out. / 2013-16 / Homeless transition funding and within existing resources.
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