Crisis Skylight Newcastle: Andrew Burnip: Andrew.burnip@crisis.org.uk
• What we do • Homelessness in context • Impact & Challenges • Future work • Homelessness Reduction Bill
Homelessness ends here Deliver high quality services that enable housing stability, financial security, improved wellbeing and the development of positive relationships Be the leading source of knowledge on causes, effects and solutions for single homelessness. Influence opinion and public policy and raise awareness so that homelessness matters to people
Inspiration We can and we do change the lives of homeless people. Through this work we inspire others to help end homelessness Integrity through knowledge Our integrity is grounded in our unique knowledge base, which comes from our research and years of working directly with thousands of homeless people Dignity By giving people the tools to help themselves out of homelessness, we uphold their dignity. We act with compassion, a sense of common decency, and with humanity Fearlessness through independence Our independence grants us not just the ability, but also the responsibility to be fearless and say what needs to be said to help homeless people Adaptability We are curious, creative and adaptive, willing to change what we do when we know what works – and what does not Resolve to end homelessness Be it through anger or compassion, we draw our resolve from the injustice that is homelessness in 21 st century Britain
Who we work with 16 years +: • Currently homeless • Recently homeless • At risk of homelessness • Single homeless people • Complexity of issues
The Skylight:
The Skylight Café:
The Skylight:
How we work: • Progression Coaches: • Work & Learning: • Health & Wellbeing: • Learning:
What we deliver: • Photography • Confident Communication • Painting • DIY Workshop • Allotment • Creative woodwork • Sculpture • Cooking on a budget • Music. • Blogging. • Literacy • Numeracy. • ESOL / ICT. • Yoga • Football • Boxercise • Beauty Therapy
What we deliver: • Work & Learning Coach (Changing Lives Grants)
What we deliver: • Housing Coach: Renting Ready (+ incentives) • Wellbeing drop-in / Counselling • Café training • Volunteer / Ambassadors
External Pressures Health & Wellbeing: • Mental Health Services cut by 8% or £600m • Public Health Budgets cut by 3.9% of £200m • Government given local authorities permission to raise own funds for social care through making a 2% increase to council tax bills. If fully used could raise nearly £20b a year by 2019-20. • LGA estimated the gap in adult social care funding will be £2.9b per annum by 2019-20. Learning: • Adult Skills budget cut by 17% (£360m) – Apprenticeships protected
External Pressures Local Government: • £4.1b funding cut over this Parliament for local government on top of almost £10b in further demand-led cost pressures facing councils by end of decade (LGA). • By 2020 local government will retain 100% of business rates revenues to fund local services. • Many local authorities will find the reduction in their grant from Government is nowhere compensated for by the devolution of business rates.
In responding to the Spending Review the LGA state …… “Even if councils stopped filling in potholes, maintaining parks, closed all children’s centres, libraries, museums, leisure centres and turned off every street light they will not have saved enough money to plug the financial black hole they face by 2020. These local services which people cherish will have to be drastically scaled back or lost altogether as councils are increasingly forced to do more with less and protect life and death services, such as caring for older and disabled people and protecting children, already buckling under growing demand.”
Households accepted as homeless and in priority need North East
Households found to be homeless but not in PN
Households in Temporary Accommodation
The Numbers Members Into work 9,796 Christmas 739 Improved Guests Housing 4594 1568 Total Volunteers Total 10570 Qualifications 2645 Members 1,014 Into work Christmas Guests 52 280 Improved Christmas Housing Volunteers 192 263 Total Qualifications 125
Future Partnership working
Basement workshop
Homelessness Reduction Bill:
No One Turned Away: • Aim: to examine the quality of information and advice available to single homeless people • Eight mystery shoppers with previous experience of homelessness made 87 visits to 16 local authorities across England to try and access help • In 50 out of 87 visits mystery shoppers received no help at all or very limited assistance • E.g. generic information about the PRS and other third sector organisations who may be able to help or brief advice about the benefits system • Significant regional differences in the quality of assistance and service – with LAs outside of London performing better
The Homelessness Reduction Bill • No one Turned Away • Summer 2015 established independent expert panel To consider • Recommendations to strengthen legislation to prevent and tackle single homelessness more effectively. • Review changes in Scotland & Wales • Chaired by Prof Suzanne Fitzpatrick
Current Legislation: S.188 – where there is reason to believe: • Homeless (within 28 days) • Eligible • Priority need. Council must provide TA during their enquires: • Intentionality • Local Connection.
Current prevention power: Code Of Guidance: July 2006 DCLG Grant funding £315m by 2019/20
Homeless Reduction Bill • Private members Bill • Bob Blackman MP • 2 nd Reading on the 28 th October • Has cross party support
The changes: Duty to provide advisory services: LAs to provide free information and advise on preventing and relieving homelessness, the rights of homeless people or those threatened. Services should be tailored to vulnerable groups. Can be outsourced. Why? Current legislation does not specify the type of quality of advice and information nor that it must be tailored to local needs of needs of vulnerable groups.
The changes: Duty to assess all eligible applicants and agree a plan: LAs must carry out an assessment of needs and provide support and information on the steps both parties will take to prevent homelessness. These must be reasonable, achievable and confirmed in writing. Why? Current legislation only requires LAs to make enquiries into what duty may be owed. Some LAs go further to prevent homelessness but many do not and this is missed opportunity to provide advise and support.
The changes Homelessness Prevention Duty: Will place a duty on Las to help prevent homelessness for anyone at risk. By either helping them to remain in their home or securing a new place to live . The Bill extends the period for which people are considered threatened with homelessness from 28 days to 56 days. Why? There is currently no duty to prevent homelessness for all households. There is some good practice but many LAs do not provide a proactive prevention service.
The changes: Relief Duty: Homelessness relief is action taken to resolve homelessness if a person is already homeless. This could be if prevention work fails, or the application for assistance is made after accommodation is lost. The relief duty requires LAs to take reasonable steps to help secure accommodation for any eligible person. This could be for example, the provision of a rent deposit scheme or through housing allocations. The duty will last for up to 56 days. Why? If you are not in priority need under the current legislation you will be offered very little help.
The changes: Non-cooperation: Places a new duty on LAs to assess all eligible applicants and agree a plan to prevent homelessness. This includes steps both parties will need to take. The Bill proposes a duty on the applicant to cooperate with reasonable steps agreed within the housing plan. If an applicant unreasonably fails to cooperate this will have a negative impact on the support provided by the council. Safeguards will be in place. Why: There is no duty to cooperate in prevention work. The government hopes this clause will encourage applicants to take reasonable steps to prevent homelessness.
Challenges • Available & affordable accommodation • Increase in access to PRS – the main reason for homelessness • Unreasonable actions – non cooperation • Increase in challenges. • Increased gatekeeping • Good councils will do more – others? …..Government has committed to funding additional duties…….
Next steps • Currently in committee stage • Report stage mid Jan • Third ready • Lords • Legislation?
Andrew.burnip@crisis.org.uk
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