Homelessness etc. Statistics after 2012 Duncan Gray & Dr. Andrew Waugh

What we’ve achieved in Moved homelessness statistics to quarterly reporting Passed our UKSA Assessment Establishing data sharing agreement with SHBVN

Key Developments DateWhat happened Spring/ Summer 2012Housing Options impact on applications 31 st December 2012Priority need test abolished 1 st April 2013Data needs to be in place to support Scottish Housing Regulator Charter Return (ARC) 30 June 2013New support duty comes into force

Monitoring Temporary Accommodation

Why introduce the HL3?

Why SG got involved? –We can clearly define data specification –Give guidance to LAs to standardise collection –Calculate SHR indicators on homelessness on a consistent basis –Provide an automatic reporting system back to LAs

The HL3 Three stages –Is accommodation required? –Was accommodation offered? –Was accommodation taken up? Meeting on 12 Feb. Specification released following meeting. Voluntary but with strong incentives.

Incentives

Monitoring Housing Options Work

Context

The History Graeme Brown, director of Shelter Scotland, wrote in a letter to Inside Housing this week that it is ‘ simply not credible ’ “The Committee also considers that the Scottish Government should consider the development of a measurement tool for homelessness prevention work” Collection is led by LA demand. A number already have systems in place..

Development Some questions influenced from the English pro forma in the P1E, but case level Happens upstream of homelessness. Therefore needs to sit outwith homelessness recording (the HL1). As far as possible, we want to measure outcomes, not activity. Final consultation Jan/ Feb 2013.

The PREVENT1 Return Application Details Household Characteristics Reasons for application Prevention Activity Outcomes

Consultation Followed discussion in Stats User Group in Dec 2012 Specific questions:- –Name of return; –Points of detail on draft sections. –Data interchange format. –Need for guidance. –Voluntary or Mandatory? –When able to provide? Responses from 18 councils and 3 voluntary bodies

Consultation councils -Name of return: No strong views -Detail: Most had specific comments on detail. -Format: Most CSV, some XML, [Excel!] -Guidance: Yes, majority similar to HL1. -Voluntary: Most would prefer mandatory. -When: Ranges from 1 – 6 months after spec finalised. [One council – only after HL1 reviewed]

Consultation: voluntary bodies Shelter/ SCSH [now Homeless Action Scotland (HAS)] Scottish Refugee Council Shelter and HAS –Points of detail on proforma. –When/ what to record Scottish Refugee Council –More general points on homelessness and refugees

Possible (minor) HL1 changes Ethnicity: Allow additional categories for consistency with PREVENT1 Support: Possible changes to the codes available for support needs questions Outcomes: To measure non-permanent accommodation currently in HL2

Timetable for changes DatasetChanges AgreedGo live Date HL3Feb 2013Voluntary initially Mandatory from ? HL2n/aRetired from ? PREVENT1HSUG 15 April 2013 Voluntary initially. Mandatory from ? HL1HSUG 15 April 2013 Continue as mandatory Make changes from ? To be agreed by Homelessness Statistics User Group

Other Work Monitoring of the Scottish Welfare Fund (£33 million per annum) XML Data Specification at: s/15257/1529/swf-dataspechttp:// s/15257/1529/swf-dataspec Upload system to be in place by 30 June 2013

The End