REPORT TO: SAFER AND STRONGER STRATEGIC GROUP 10 JUNE 2010

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1 REPORT TO: SAFER AND STRONGER STRATEGIC GROUP 10 JUNE 2010 SUBJECT: BY: PREVENTION OF HOMELESSNESS CHIEF HOUSING OFFICER 1. REASON FOR REPORT 1.1 This report provides the Safer & Stronger group with information relating to a visit of North Ayrshire Council to identify good practice in relation to the prevention of homelessness. 1.2 This visit was agreed by Committee on 1 December 2009 (paragraph 8 of the minute refers) and followed an earlier meeting between Council Elected Members and the Chief Housing Officer with the Housing Minister on 11 November RECOMMENDATION 2.1 It is recommended that the Safer & Stronger Strategic group considers the findings of the visit to North Ayrshire Council. 3. BACKGROUND 3.1 At its meeting of 11 August 2009, the Committee agreed that a meeting should be sought with the Housing Minister to discuss the difficulties the Council has in terms of meeting the homelessness 2012 target (paragraph 11 of the Minute refers). 3.2 At the meeting on 11 November 2009 with the Housing Minister, five key areas were discussed that the Minister considered might assist the Council. These were Supported Accommodation, Mediation Projects, Private Rented Sector, New Housing and New Financial Initiatives. 3.3 A report to the Communities Committee on 1 December 2009 agreed that following the meeting with the Housing Minister, Officers would investigate the issues raised during the meeting (paragraph 8 of the Minute refers). In particular, Officers were asked to investigate options for the prevention of homelessness. 3.4 In response to the Housing Minister s suggestion it was agreed that Officers from the Council would visit North Ayrshire Council to investigate their approach to homelessness prevention work, ascertain the success of the prevention agenda and establish how the practices could be developed and adapted for Moray. 4. VISIT TO NORTH AYRSHIRE COUNCIL

2 4.1 Officers from Moray Council visited North Ayrshire Council on 11 March 2010 to consider their practices in the prevention of homelessness and the role and delivery of housing support in the prevention agenda. 4.2 The focus of the Homeless Service of North Ayrshire Council is the prevention of homelessness and repeat homeless. The service has been in place since January 2008 and has three teams, namely: Homeless Assessment Prevention and Advice, Temporary Accommodation and Housing Support. The Homeless Assessment Prevention and Advice Team (HAPA) The Homeless Assessment Prevention and Advice Team manages homeless presentations, access to the private sector through the rent deposit guarantee scheme and prevention advice and assistance. The team consists of 10 members of staff, of whom there are always two on duty, with a specific role of preventing homelessness During 2008/09, the specialist Advice and Information Officers received 1,518 approaches for assistance but only 40 households went on to make homeless presentations. The majority of the households that approached the advice service were assisted to remain in their own homes or to source alternative housing without having to become homeless One of the key areas of their success has been in the prevention of homelessness of young people leaving the family home. In order to reduce homeless presentations, a more pro-active approach has been developed. This includes visits to the family home before any offer of temporary accommodation is made. Mediation and family support are also offered at this stage to avoid homelessness. Even where there is a family breakdown, negotiations will take place to delay the onset of homelessness The work of the Homeless Assessment Prevention and Advice Team has achieved a 25% to 30% reduction in homeless presentations. This has allowed them to hand back 40 units of temporary accommodation and, significantly, North Ayrshire Council no longer uses bed and breakfast establishments as temporary accommodation. Rent Deposit Scheme North Ayrshire Council assisted 276 households last year obtain a tenancy in the private rented sector by the use of their Rent Deposit Guarantee Scheme. The scheme in North Ayrshire has been popular but this may reflect that landlords in this area have been willing to accept rent levels set by the local housing allowance. The scheme has a target of 25 new tenancies per month. Households can be assisted through the scheme irrespective of whether they are homeless or not. The Rent Deposit Scheme in North Ayrshire has three members of staff and was implemented five years ago with a budget of 20,000. The initial budget

3 has been absorbed over the years and there is no identified budget for the scheme. Claims are on average 1% per year (approximately 1,000) and met from other budgets. Housing Options Any household who believes that they are at risk of homelessness is initially provided with an interview by a Homeless Assessment Officer to discuss alternative housing options. The focus of this interview is to examine different accommodation options with various housing providers and to maximise points levels across the various housing waiting lists. Financial costs associated with any form of accommodation are clarified and affordability of options established. North Ayrshire Council will give unlimited offers to waiting and transfer list applicants but this is not extended to a homeless person. The homeless household s areas of choice are guaranteed for only three months before being extended and they only receive one offer of permanent accommodation in terms of homelessness. Whilst this approach is likely to be at odds with the advice given by the Scottish Housing Regulator, North Ayrshire defend their policy on the basis that they are able to provide accommodation options for the majority who present as homeless. Section 11 Notices Section 11 Notices are issued by mortgage lenders, creditors and landlords in the private sector and housing associations where a home is at risk. North Ayrshire Council responds to these notices in writing, asking those at risk to contact them. If there is no reply within one week, Officers will visit the person and offer advice, assistance and housing support. The Housing Advice and Information Officers are responsible for dealing with Section 11 notifications. 5. HOMELESS PREVENTION IN THE MORAY CONTEXT 5.1 There are a clearly areas identified from the visit to North Ayrshire that could be further developed in Moray to prevent homelessness. The Housing Support Review also presents opportunities that would enable the Council to re focus its activities in this area. Homeless Prevention 5.2 Although Moray carries out homeless prevention work, it is currently less structured than in North Ayrshire. The Moray approach makes it difficult to measure outcomes and to evaluate the impact that prevention work could have on reducing homelessness. Changes proposed by the Housing Support Review would enable the Council to adopt a more robust approach in this area and would assist in addressing pressures within temporary and permanent accommodation. Rent Deposit Scheme

4 5.3 The rent deposit scheme in Moray targets only those homeless households who are assessed as having no priority need. It assists those who are already homeless and is not used as a prevention tool. The main difficulty in expanding the rent deposit scheme in Moray is historic and relates to a number of different factors that reduce opportunities in this area; namely:- i) There is an unwillingness of many landlords to accept households who are entirely dependent on benefits. ii) iii) iv) Those aged 25 and under face further difficulties in terms of the housing benefit single room rent restriction which effectively prices many out of the private rented sector. Significantly, this age group is also the highest percentage of those who approach the Council as homeless. There is a high demand for private rented sector accommodation from professional people who live or come to work in Moray area. This group is also able to meet the rental charges that operate within this sector. Moray has two Royal Air Force bases and it is well known that some personnel chose to rent in the private sector. 5.4 Officers propose that the Council s scheme is reviewed during 2010/11. Housing Options 5.5 Housing Options in Moray are currently seen as part of the homeless interview and not as a separate prevention measure. The structured approach by North Ayrshire to provide these options prior to homelessness has proved to be successful. Officers wish to develop a similar approach here and this is also covered in the Housing Support Review. Section In Moray, the current pressures on the Homelessness Team do not enable the type of response that is provided by North Ayrshire. There are obvious benefits in identifying and responding to those at risk of homelessness at an earlier stage and working to prevent many households from actually becoming homeless. North Ayrshire works to delay evictions and also to negotiate payment schedules for rent or mortgage arrears with landlords and creditors. Officers wish to develop a more pro-active approach to Section 11 notices and this is also linked to changes proposed in the Housing Support Review. 5.7 As can be seen from the above, a key element in future actions is the progression of the Housing Support Review. A separate report on the Committee s agenda considers this. 6. SUMMARY OF IMPLICATIONS

5 (a) Single Outcome Agreement/Service Improvement Plan The Single Outcome Agreement and Service Improvement Plan both have priorities regarding the shortage of affordable housing and tackling homelessness. The identified prevention of homeless activities will assist the Council with these priorities. (b) Policy and Legal There are no direct implications arising from this report. (c) Resources (Financial, Risks, Staffing and Property) There are staffing implications arising from this report but these are contained within the review of the Housing Support Service. (d) Consultations Consultations have taken place with the Director of Community Services, Chief Housing Officer, Housing Programmes Manager, Principal Accountant (Lorraine Paisey), Head of Children and Families, Head of Community Care, Community Planning and Development Manager, Senior Area Housing Manager and managers within the Housing Service, who agree with the contents of this report. 7. CONCLUSION 7.1 This report asks the Committee to consider the findings of the visit to North Ayrshire Council. Author of Report: Background Papers: Ref: Richard Anderson, Housing Needs Manager June Shennan, Homelessness Strategy and Development Manager Held on file by June Shennan