1. Operation of the homeless persons legislation in Scotland: Quarters ending 30 June 2009 and 30 September 2009 Craig Kellock Duncan Gray

2. HL1 data collection Data collected for each homelessness application at 3 stages – Application – Assessment – Outcomes Publication follows similar structure

3. Also included… From summary data collection Households in temporary accommodation at the end of each quarter Notifications of households at risk of homelessness due to eviction

4. Homelessness applications 28,862 homelessness applications between April and September 2009 Mostly single people (62%) and single parents (24%) Households with children represent 31% of all applications received

5. Numbers of applications

6. Reasons for homelessness Household disputes or relationship breakdown (29%) Asked to leave (26%) Financial reasons (5%) Other action by landlord (7%) Discharge from prison, hospital or care (5%) Percentage figures are fairly steady over time but vary according to the previous housing circumstances

7. Assessments – Local authorities are required to make inquiries into the circumstances of the applicant household to determine whether the applicant is homeless, potentially homeless or neither the applicant has a priority need the applicant became homeless intentionally or unintentionally

8. 2012 legislation All unintentionally homeless households will be entitled to settled accommodation Between April and September 2009, 84% of homeless assessments were accorded priority

9. Progress to 2012

10. Local authority assessments Between April and September 2009: – In 5 councils, over 90% assessed as priority – In 17 councils, 80% - 90% assessed as priority – In 6 councils, 70% - 80% assessed as priority – In 3 councils, 60% - 70% assessed as priority – In 1 council, 59% assessed as priority

11. Progress to 2012 In 2008/09, each council was set an interim target to monitor progress to 2012. – 14 councils met their interim target – 21 councils have increased % homeless assessed as priority compared to April – Sep 2008

12. Progress to 2012 Comparing April – September 2008 with April – September 2009: Angus up from 86% to 100% priority Dundee up from 83% to 99% Midlothian up from 74% to 84% Stirling up from 66% to 82% Perth and Kinross up from 72% to 79%

13. East Lothian dropped from 68% to 59% Scottish Borders dropped from 77% to 68% Moray dropped from 71% to 65% Shetland remain on 64%

14. Policy approach to 2012 commitment Four pronged approach Focus on prevention Improve access of homeless households to existing housing stock Invest in appropriate areas (informed by modelling seminars) to meet homelessness/ wider housing need Continued leadership at political/ corporate level

15. Outcomes Progress to 2012 commitment means more homeless households are securing a permanent let. Between April and September 2009: 6,318 homeless households secured a LA let 3,879 secured a housing association let 1,588 secured a private let

16. Permanent accommodation secured

17. Temporary accommodation secured

18. Temporary accommodation summary statistics Quarterly stats from a summary data collection giving the number of households placed in temporary accommodation as a result of homelessness application. Local authorities cannot put households with children or pregnant women into unsuitable temporary accommodation unless exceptional circumstances apply.

19. Households in temporary accommodation as at 31 December 2009 10,278 households in temporary accommodation as at 31 December 2009 3,595 households with children in temporary accommodation 19 households with children or pregnant women in B&B accommodation 11 breaches of Unsuitable Accommodation Order in 2009 quarter 4.

20. Notifications of households at risk of homelessness due to eviction Information on the number of households at risk of homelessness due to eviction Link to prevention strategies New data collection starting from April 2009 so only have data for the 3 quarters up to December 2009 3,381 notifications during Oct – Dec 2009