David Corner

1
Homelessness in EnglandDelivering national
policy through local strategies

• David Corner
• Director
• Regions, Regeneration Renewal
• Globalisation of Homeless Policies FEANTSA
  Seminar

2
About the National Audit Office

• Supreme audit institution
• Value for money and financial audit
• To provide independent information, assurance and
  advice to Parliament on the use of public
  resources
• To help promote better financial management and
  value for money
• 81

3
Homelessness in England the policy and delivery
framework
4
Homelessness The problem

• Statutory versus non-statutory homelessness
• 136,000 acceptances in 2003 up 37 since 1997
• Temporary accommodation 100,000 households in
  2004, up 250 since 1997
• 1 billion a year

5
What we looked at

• Progress of the Homelessness Directorate
• in encouraging a strategic approach
• against two targets
• in developing cross-government working
• More than a roof Progress in tackling
  homelessness

6
The targets a success story

• Rough sleeping
• 500 in 2004
• Down 70 since 1998
• Bed Breakfast
• 6,700 March 2002
• No families in BB for longer than six weeks by
  March 2004
• 28 households March 2004

7
Encouraging a strategic approach locally

• More than a Roof
• 2002 Homelessness Act
• Local strategies
• Liaison with other agencies
• Guidance from OPDM

8
Evaluation of quality of strategies

• Reviews of local homelessness upon which
  strategies were based
• Obtained and analysed data on full range of
  homelessness needs
• Evaluated success of existing services,
  especially prevention and tenancy support
• Considered all homeless people
• Social Services took part
• Consulted Black and Minority Ethnic groups

9
Evaluation of quality of strategies

• The strategies themselves
• Included strategic objectives Clear and precise
• Considered needs of non-statutorily homeless
• Evaluated usefulness of schemes
• Considered how to avoid Bed and Breakfast, even
  if not currently using it
• Addressed rough sleeping Going beyond temporary
  accommodation

10
Evaluation of quality of strategies

• The action plans
• Strong monitoring and evaluation arrangements
• SMART objectives included enables monitoring
• Responsibilities and timetables well defined
• Identified the resources required to fulfil
  strategy
• Considered the full range of funding opportunities

11
Impact of strategies on homelessness

• Raised profile
• Stronger partnerships
• Changes in approach

12
Examples

• Carlisle Multi-agency working
• Hammersmith Fulham offering solutions rather
  than processing applications
• Doncaster Homelessness Prevention Services

13
Carlisle Multi-agency working

• County wide review of homelessness services six
  authorities, one strategy
• Cumbria homelessness forum
• Multi-agency
• Support services social care, crime, legal
• Young peoples services
• Health services
• Advisory services
• Housing providers

14
Hammersmith Fulham offering solutions rather
than processing applications

• Before
• Requests for help dealt with by Homelessness
  Officer
• Applied law gatekeeper to social housing poor
  internal liaison
• After
• Requests for help dealt with by an Options
  advisor
• Full assessment of housing options range of
  solutions offered support needs addressed at
  same time

15
Doncaster Homelessness Prevention Services

• Loss of tenancy major cause of homelessness
• New prevention team
• Publicised service with all types of landlords
• Integrated service covers
• Financial advice arrears, debt, benefits,
  Council Tax
• Signposting to other services, including tenancy
  support
• Controlling tenancy end mediation, eviction
  issues
• Finding alternatives securing alternative
  accommodation, referrals to bond guarantee schemes

16
Other impacts

• Quality of accommodation
• Its much better.. I mean its MUCH better than
  the Bed Breakfast, definitely
• Ive got two bedrooms, a nice living room a
  toilet, a bathroom. Its not my ideal home, but
  its nice
• 24,000 families not exposed to Bed Breakfast
• Financial savings 40 million

17
Conclusions

• Wider range of services, for more client groups
• Local authorities address local issues more
  effectively
• ODPM policy pushed through the delivery chain
• Services increasingly joined-up
• Better value for money

18
Thank you

• Email David.corner_at_nao.gsi.gov.uk
• More than a roof Progress in tackling
  homelessness
• download from
• www.nao.org.uk/publications/index.htm