1. HELPING THE NATION SPEND WISELY David Corner Director Regions, Regeneration & Renewal Globalisation of Homeless Policies: FEANTSA Seminar Homelessness in England: Delivering national policy through local strategies

2. HELPING THE NATION SPEND WISELY About the National Audit Office  Supreme audit institution  Value for money and financial audit  To provide independent information, assurance and advice to Parliament on the use of public resources  To help promote better financial management and value for money  £8:£1

3. HELPING THE NATION SPEND WISELY Homelessness in England: the policy and delivery framework 1Homelessness and Housing Support Directorate 9Government Offices in the Regions 354Local Authorities 500+Voluntary and Community Sector Organisations 2000+Registered Social Landlords

4. HELPING THE NATION SPEND WISELY Homelessness: The problem  Statutory versus non- statutory homelessness  136,000 acceptances in 2003: up 37% since 1997  Temporary accommodation: 100,000 households in 2004, up 250% since 1997  £1 billion a year

5. HELPING THE NATION SPEND WISELY What we looked at:  Progress of the Homelessness Directorate: –in encouraging a strategic approach –against two targets –in developing cross- government working  ‘More than a roof: Progress in tackling homelessness’

6. HELPING THE NATION SPEND WISELY The targets : a success story  Rough sleeping: –500 in 2004 –Down 70% since 1998  Bed & Breakfast: –6,700 March 2002 –No families in B&B for longer than six weeks by March 2004 –28 households March 2004

7. HELPING THE NATION SPEND WISELY Encouraging a strategic approach locally  ‘More than a Roof’  2002 Homelessness Act –Local strategies –Liaison with other agencies  Guidance from OPDM

8. HELPING THE NATION SPEND WISELY Evaluation of quality of strategies  Reviews of local homelessness upon which strategies were based: –Obtained and analysed data on full range of homelessness needs –Evaluated success of existing services, especially prevention and tenancy support –Considered all homeless people –Social Services took part –Consulted Black and Minority Ethnic groups

9. HELPING THE NATION SPEND WISELY Evaluation of quality of strategies  The strategies themselves: –Included strategic objectives: Clear and precise –Considered needs of non-statutorily homeless –Evaluated usefulness of schemes –Considered how to avoid Bed and Breakfast, even if not currently using it –Addressed rough sleeping: Going beyond temporary accommodation

10. HELPING THE NATION SPEND WISELY Evaluation of quality of strategies  The action plans: –Strong monitoring and evaluation arrangements –SMART objectives included: enables monitoring –Responsibilities and timetables well defined –Identified the resources required to fulfil strategy –Considered the full range of funding opportunities

11. HELPING THE NATION SPEND WISELY Impact of strategies on homelessness  Raised profile  Stronger partnerships  Changes in approach

12. HELPING THE NATION SPEND WISELY Examples:  Carlisle: Multi-agency working  Hammersmith & Fulham: offering solutions rather than processing applications  Doncaster: Homelessness Prevention Services

13. HELPING THE NATION SPEND WISELY Carlisle: Multi-agency working  County wide review of homelessness services – six authorities, one strategy  Cumbria homelessness forum  Multi-agency: –Support services; social care, crime, legal –Young people’s services –Health services –Advisory services; –Housing providers

14. HELPING THE NATION SPEND WISELY Hammersmith & Fulham: offering solutions rather than processing applications Before:  Requests for help dealt with by Homelessness Officer  Applied law; gatekeeper to social housing; poor internal liaison After:  Requests for help dealt with by an ‘Options’ advisor  Full assessment of housing options; range of solutions offered; support needs addressed at same time

15. HELPING THE NATION SPEND WISELY Doncaster: Homelessness Prevention Services  Loss of tenancy major cause of homelessness  New prevention team  Publicised service with all types of landlords  Integrated service covers: –Financial advice: arrears, debt, benefits, Council Tax –Signposting to other services, including tenancy support –Controlling tenancy end: mediation, eviction issues –Finding alternatives: securing alternative accommodation, referrals to bond guarantee schemes

16. HELPING THE NATION SPEND WISELY Other impacts  Quality of accommodation –‘It’s much better.. I mean it’s MUCH better than the Bed & Breakfast, definitely…’ –‘I’ve got two bedrooms, a nice living room… a toilet, a bathroom. It’s not my ideal home, but it’s nice’  24,000 families not exposed to Bed & Breakfast  Financial savings £40+ million

17. HELPING THE NATION SPEND WISELY Conclusions  Wider range of services, for more client groups  Local authorities address local issues more effectively  ODPM policy pushed through the delivery chain  Services increasingly ‘joined-up’  Better value for money

18. HELPING THE NATION SPEND WISELY Thank you  Email: David.corner@nao.gsi.gov.ukDavid.corner@nao.gsi.gov.uk  ‘More than a roof: Progress in tackling homelessness’ download from: www.nao.org.uk/publications/index.htm