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Tracking Homelessness: A Feasibility Study
ANNEX 4:QUESTIONS FOR THE SCOTTISH HOUSEHOLD SURVEY
A4.1 Note that the questions included in this appendix are only examples of the types of subject matter for questions that could be included in the SHS. This is not the recommended wording or response categories for these questions.
(1) QuestionS to identify people living in insecure accommodation and the hidden homeless
A4.2 These questions would identify households living in insecure accommodation as well as people currently staying with the household that would be defined as 'hidden homeless'.
1. Is there anyone (not including lodgers) currently living in this dwelling because they have no stable home?
2. Does anyone (else) sometimes spend the night in this dwelling because they have nowhere of their own to go?
(This would identify people staying with the household at the time of interview that could be defined as hidden homeless.).
3. If YES, are they are a friend, relative (and if relative - how are they related to the respondent)?
(2) Routes out of Homelessness
A4.3 This is perhaps the most important set of questions. This is an ideal opportunity to investigate routes out of homelessness from a representative sample of ex-homeless people.
1. Did you receive help from any of the following?
family, friends, LA housing/homelessness department, LA social work department, advice service (voluntary or statutory), voluntary/specialist homelessness accommodation or support agency, other, none?
2. What was the nature of the help you received?
Financial, accommodation, advice, practical help, emotional support etc.?
3. Did you approach any of the following for help?
Family, friends, LA housing/homelessness department, LA social work department, advice service (voluntary or statutory), voluntary/specialist homelessness accommodation or support agency, other, none?
(This will capture where help was requested, but not given)
4. What was the first type of accommodation you moved into after becoming
homeless?
Own mainstream tenancy (LA, RSL or private) or owner-occupied, supported accommodation (group or independent living/temporary or permanent), furnished accommodation (group or independent living/temporary or permanent/social or private sector), friends or relatives, institution, other etc.?
(3) Specific homeless situations
A4.4 These questions would identify whether respondents had experienced
any of the particular situations in the Homelessness Task Force definitions of homelessness (Scottish Executive, 2001). Some of these questions should be asked of all respondents, rather than just those with experience of homelessness.
A4.5 It should be noted that some of these questions are unlikely to be accepted for the SHS because they are too personal and sensitive. However, as that is a decision would need to be made by the SHS team, the questions are included here for completeness.
1. Have you ever had accommodation to which you could not gain access?
2. Have you ever had accommodation that you could not live because you would have risked domestic violence by living there?
3. Have you ever lived in emergency/temporary homeless accommodation (e.g. hostels, night shelters, refuges, B&B)?
4. Have you ever lived in insecure accommodation (e.g. staying with friends/relatives without stable base?
5. Have you ever squatted?
6. Have you ever been asked to leave a parental home?
7. Have you ever lived under the threat of eviction?
8. Have you ever had to share accommodation with another household on a long-term basis because you had nowhere else to go?
A4.6 It would be worthwhile asking for experiences of the above in the last year and last five years and to also ask about current accommodation to find out if the respondent is presently hidden homeless.
(4) Repeat homelessness applicationS
A4.7 It would be useful to obtain information about repeated applications to different LAs, as this is currently not captured by the HL1 returns. (HL1 returns only capture repeat applications to the same LA.)
1. How many times have you applied to a LA as homeless within the past year?
2. If more than once… Were these applications to the same LA or to different LAs.
(5) Homelessness histories
A4.8 It would be useful to ask about all periods spent homeless, sleeping rough, applications to local authorities etc. in the SHS to obtain each respondent's history of homelessness. However, it is unlikely that a full history could be asked in the SHS, so an alternative would be to collect a rough history. This could be done by asking whether the respondents had any experiences of homelessness for previous complete years, e.g. Did you have any experiences of homelessness at all in 2001? 2000? 1999? Etc.
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