What are learning points?
Learning points share what people have learned from their experience in regeneration - from people working or talking together, or from research into issues and evaluation of what is happening. Learning points can help people and organisations to improve their practice through identifying what works and what doesn't.
The views described in learning points do not mean the Scottish Government or the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) necessarily support them. They simply reflect what has been debated and what those involved at the event considered useful learning and lessons from their perspectives.
What is this learning point about?
The messages in this learning point come from the joint event on homelessness prevention held by the Scottish Government and COSLA in June 2010. There was a mix of local authority and housing association landlords operating across the whole of Scotland. Speakers included:
- Alex Neil MSP, Minister for Housing and Communities
- Cllr Brian Goodall, Chair of the 2012 Steering Group
- Shona Stephen, Deputy Director, Housing Access and Support
- Neil Morland, Specialist Advisor from Communities and Local Government
- Susan Walsh, Housing Options Manager from Blackpool Council
- Olga Clayton, Head of Housing Services from North Ayrshire Council
- Paul Hannan, Homelessness Manager from Aberdeen City Council
- Andrew Field, Acting Chief Executive from the SFHA
- Professor Isobel Anderson from Stirling University
- Catherine Wilkie, Housing Support Manager, Glasgow Housing Association
Homelessness prevention is one of the four main work strands of the Scottish Government/COSLA 2012 Steering Group. In the current constrained financial climate, the group has recognised that it is more crucial than ever that there is a focus on the benefits of homelessness prevention work and that partners work together to embed a strong corporate commitment within their organisations.
The format for the full day event was a mixture of presentations and discussion. The premise was to allow the opportunity to explore with stakeholders how effective homelessness prevention and particularly an enhanced housing options approach can bring significant benefits to this area of work. The event also provided an opportunity to launch the Scottish Housing Options Funding programme.
What are the main issues?
As we get nearer to the 2012 target deadline, the prospect of new supply assisting in achieving the target lessens. Similarly, at a time when efficiencies are increasingly important, it is crucial to look at other options to reduce the number of homeless presentations and ultimately those requiring re-housing.
The housing options approach refocuses existing services and resources and has a proven track record in England of reducing the number of homeless applicants requiring re-housing. In terms of the use of resources, it has proven to be a cost effective use of existing resources and any additional resources required are around training and making new partnerships, both of which are relatively inexpensive given the potential benefits.
The Housing Options Funding programme is intended to encourage and assist local authorities to develop their housing options services through partnership working.
What do we know already?
In England, an enhanced housing options approach has been developed. A report in 2008, Expanding Choice, Addressing Need, stated that:
"the housing options approach fundamentally transforms the way that those in housing need interact with providers of housing advice. It empowers people by giving them information and advice about the options and services available and enables them to make informed decisions."
This looks at housing options in a holistic sense and can incorporate providing advice about the private rented sector, low cost home ownership, providing mediation services and linking into other areas such as employment advice.
Communities and Local Government (CLG) has funded two sets of 'trailblazers':
- A first programme for local authorities interested in further enhancing their already strong housing options services and becoming mentors to disseminate good practice. These authorities also had to enable service users to access employment advice, work to develop housing options services for ex-offenders and other excluded individuals and become part of a virtual team of local authorities to share ideas and to develop a toolkit.
- A second phase for local authorities who were keen to develop enhanced housing options services with guidance and support from the mentoring authorities. These authorities would be assigned a mentor, become part of a virtual team, sharing ideas and assist in the development of the toolkit.
Expanding Choice, Addressing Need recognises that housing options advice should not just be for people in the most acute need and at the point of crisis when options are more limited. Instead it should be available for a range of interventions which do not just focus on resolving a housing issue but which look at any underlying issues which can underpin the housing problem.
The indicators of success that identified were:
- Meeting housing need with a wider range of solutions
- Using stock more effectively
- Tackling worklessness
- Improving customer service
Across Scotland a number of local authorities are moving towards a housing options approach. All will be taking account of their local contexts and different challenges.
The Scottish Government/COSLA 2012 Steering Group has agreed that a housing options approach looking wider than just the initial presenting reason for a homelessness application, can lead to either homelessness being prevented, or identifying and accessing a more sustainable solution to a household's housing need. This can lead to reduced costs in temporary accommodation.
What have we learned?
As well as listening to the speakers, delegates had the opportunity to ask questions after each presentation. They reached consensus that all in the housing sector will be required to work better together in order to make a housing options service work and to gain the most from the available funding.
The presentations provided examples of effective housing options services operating in both England and Scotland and delegates were able to explore concerns and issues that they might have. The Scottish Housing Regulator and speakers reassured delegates that the housing options approach should not compromise the councils' statutory duty or adopting this approach should not subsequently cause any problems during the inspection process.
The Minister announced £500,000 of enabling funding at the event. The Housing Options Funding Programme will aim to encourage local authorities to adopt the approach where someone seeking assistance is not automatically directed to make a homelessness application, but a more customer focused housing options approach is offered. This may lead to a homelessness application but only if it is seen as the best option for the household.
This change will require a redirection of resources to skill officials up to understand this approach and to deliver it sensitively to people looking for assistance. Local authorities will need to look corporately at how they develop services to complement this approach.
Re-focusing services towards prevention
Issues were raised about the move away from traditional homelessness services to refocusing services to a housing options approach. Many local authorities felt that they were already carrying out a large range of the housing options services, it was just that they were not using/implementing them prior to, or along with, accepting a homelessness application. It was stressed that there is no change to legislation. If the local authority believes a person to be at risk of homelessness they should take an application. Prevention work should be carried out in parallel with the application process. Nonetheless anxieties were expressed around compromising people's 'right to present'.
There is nervousness in the sector at the Scottish Housing Regulator's possible response. A representative from the Scottish Housing Regulator reassured delegates that several local authorities are operating housing options services and that they have been inspected and seen as not acting against legislation or good practice.
Gatekeeping or prevention?
Gatekeeping was discussed and speakers reassured delegates that considering individuals' options in the widest sense, looking past the narrow confines of just accommodation, can result in a better long term result for the individual and the local authority. There is no reason why operating a housing options service should constitute gatekeeping, however it will depend on how housing options and the legal framework interact in practice. Local authorities require reassurance about gatekeeping but will also need to be reminded that they must not insist that all other options are exhausted before a statutory homelessness application is accepted.
Cultural change required to refocus services
Cultural change is required to refocus services. Examples were given of new posts being created with detailed job descriptions focusing on 'Housing Options Advice' rather than the traditional role of Homelessness Assessment Officers. Some staff will embrace change and others will not. Radical changes may be required in order to affect the culture change necessary to implement a housing options service.
It may not be easy to deliver the housing options approach in some local authority areas where services were not in-house. The example provided by Susan Walsh was of all services being in-house.
Neil Morland stressed that the way Blackpool operate is just one example, and that many other local authorities, Manchester was used as an example, have contracted out services to the Third Sector. It was stressed that there is no one size fits all and that what services are provided, including what is provided in-house and by outside bodies in partnership, is entirely dependant on local circumstances.
Partnership working and corporate buy in
Partnership working is crucial in taking forward an effective housing options service. This includes both partnerships internal and external to the local authority, for example linking up with a shared view on prevention with housing management services such as rent arrears. This also forms part of the corporate buy in that is essential in providing a housing options and prevention focus. In addition to internal partnerships, working with voluntary agencies, charities and specialist providers can assist in providing the wide spectrum of services that may be necessary.
A measure of problem solving will be required in order to make sure that services fit the locally agreed homelessness profile.
Measuring prevention and identifying the cost of homelessness
Measuring effective homelessness prevention work can be challenging because in essence you are attempting to measure an absence of something. Research carried out by Heriot Watt University measured the average annual cost to a local authority of a homelessness presentation at £5,300. This can then be compared with the average costs of housing options services such as mediation, home visits, and rent bond schemes, all of which are significantly cheaper to implement. An appreciation of these facts at senior level within local authorities is crucial in the successful implementation of housing options services. This can be a difficult thing to achieve when hard figures are not readily available.
The housing association contribution
There is divided opinion about whether the housing association sector could do more to assist in working towards the 2012 target. There is good work being carried by housing associations in the field of homelessness prevention and tenancy sustainment.
Delegates discussed issues around housing associations not seeing homelessness as their problem. Where this applies it should be tackled locally through effective partnership working. The relationship between the housing association and the local authority was seen as being a key component in how the section five protocol operated (the route by which homelessness referrals may be passed from the local authority to the housing association).
What next?
In response to the positive evaluation and feedback from delegates to the event the Scottish Government and COSLA invited local authorities to host and attend a series of seminars in August/September 2010. These seminars were designed to explore the policy context, consider practice examples and begin preparation of an action plan to take Housing Options Funding Programme development work forward within 'hubs' of local authorities.
Further information
Scottish Centre for Regeneration
This document is published by the Scottish Centre for Regeneration, which is part of the Scottish Government. We support our public, private and voluntary sector delivery partners to become more effective at:
- regenerating communities and tackling poverty
- developing more successful town centres and local high streets
- creating and managing mixed and sustainable communities
- making housing more energy efficient
- managing housing more efficiently and effectively
We do this through:
- coordinating learning networks which bring people together to identify the challenges they face and to support them to tackle these through events, networking and capacity building programmes
- identifying and sharing innovation and practice through publishing documents detailing examples of projects and programmes and highlighting lessons learned
- developing partnerships with key players in the housing and regeneration sector to ensure that our activities meet their needs and support their work
Scottish Centre for Regeneration
Scottish Government
Highlander House
58 Waterloo Street
Glasgow
G2 7DA
Tel: 0141 271 3736
Email: contactscr@scotland.gsi.gov.uk
www.partnersinregeneration.com
October 2010