1. HOMELESSNESS UPDATE FOR CHRB – NOVEMBER 2017
No one turned away: The challenge for Housing Advice and Options Services
HOMELESSNESS UPDATE FOR CHRB – NOVEMBER 2017

2. 1. Trends 2. Homeless Reduction Bill 3. Trailblazer Funding
Today’s focus is on ………..
1. Trends
2. Homeless Reduction Bill
3. Trailblazer Funding
4. Key Challenges
This is the annual update on Homelessness.
Today will turn the focus onto 4 aspects:
General picture of trends – national and how this plays out locally
Homeless Reduction Bill – what do we think this will mean – how are we preparing
Trailblazer – progress so far
Challenges and Next steps

3. The National Picture
9% increase in statutory acceptances between March 2015 and March 2016.
Number of households in B&B has doubled in 5 years.
1 Trends
National increase in homeless acceptances
Use of B&B doubled in 5 years
Nationally ending of AST is biggest cause of homelessness
These trends are largely mirrored across our sub region although the extent of them may vary in each local authority depending on the local housing market.
For example, The Cambridge LHA rate for a 2 bed is £ per week. A search of Rightmove shows some 2 beds in SCDC district for £196 p/w upwards (leaves £50 pw shortfall) and in the City looking at almost double the LHA rate. In comparison Right Move shows properties in East Cambs for less than or very close to the LHA rate.
In terms of other local differences Fenland has high levels of deprivation yet Cambridge City and SCDC areas are more bouyant economically.
So it is important to recognize that the extent of the challenge and the market in each local authority area can mean that one size does not fit all in terms of impact or solutions.
Main point to take away is that it is tough times all round.
Proportion of people made homeless as a result of an AST ending has almost doubled in the last 5 years.

4. Does the Homeless Reduction bill hold the answer?
On top of that, we have the Homeless Reduction Bill looming ever closer – what does that mean?
Well we are starting to know a little bit more……
The Homeless Reduction Act 2017 represents a fundamental shift in homeless legislation and places new responsibilities on local authorities to provide advice and assistance to prevent and relieve homelessness, regardless of priority need. However, what it doesn’t do is increase the supply of affordable accommodation and an authorities’ ability to access accommodation will be a crucial element in how successful they are in delivering the intentions of the Act.

5. Homeless Reduction Bill: Additional Duties
Additional statutory duties for housing authorities in terms of prevention and relief.
These duties are regardless of priority need.
Additional administrative requirements to provide and keep under review the Personal Housing Plan
Greater number of review stages
Duty to refer on other public bodies
In terms of what the Act will do, it places significant additional administrative burdens on local authorities, particularly in relation to the level of detail required in producing and monitoring Personal Housing Plans. Furthermore, the act currently proposes thirteen stages in the new process where the local authority is required to issue a written decision and where these decisions are all subject to review. Some of the review stages place an obligation on the local authority to continue accommodating the applicant. Previously the decision to accommodate at all stages was discretionary. In addition the act introduces the ‘Duty to refer’ on other public bodies which will further increase caseloads.

6. What does this mean?
Increased footfall predicted due to upstream intervention and also priority need blind.
Southwark Council have implemented the Act a year early and have seen a 51% increase in footfall.
What does this mean?
Well we think it means more of this. A larger number of customers due to increased duties, earlier, upstream prevention and priority need blind. Southwark Council saw 51% increase.
We certainly think it will mean we need more of this. SCDC and City have modelled for a 60% increase in staff. HDC have also predicted the need for additional staffing and Fenland are also in the process of predicting the impact they expect to see.
And it will almost certainly mean this……
City and South both estimating a 60% increase in staffing will be required.

7. What are we doing?
Successful Trailblazer bid comprising a range of organisations to trial new ways of working and raise awareness of homeless prevention. What is the Trailblazer?
So what are we doing? Successful trailblazer bid to trial new ways of working and raise awareness of homeless prevention amongst partners
BUT WHAT IS IT?

8. Trailblazer Area 1 County Council 5 District Authorities
1 Unitary Authority
3 Cities
9 Market Towns
100’s of villages
A joint bid between managed and led by FDC on behalf of 6 LA s and a range of public and voluntary sector partners with the intention of trialling new ways of working in readiness for the HRAct.
Homelessness partners and providers, Public Service Board, Cambridgeshire & Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust, Clinical Commissioning Group, Public Health, Building Better Opportunities (4 projects), Integrated Offender Management, Police & Crime Commissioner, Probation Service, Prison Service, St Giles Trust, 6, District housing authorities, 1 unitary authority, Housing Associations, voluntary, community & charitable network (inc CAB), Department of Work & Pensions (Job Centre +) MASH (Multi agency Safeguarding Hub) Early help Hub, District Teams, Adult Early Help, Many Social Care Teams………

9. TRAILBLAZER PARTNERSHIPS
Homelessness partners and providers, Public Service Board, Cambridgeshire & Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust, Clinical Commissioning Group, Public Health, Building Better Opportunities (4 projects), Integrated Offender Management, Police & Crime Commissioner, Probation Service, Prison Service, St Giles Trust, 6, District housing authorities, 1 unitary authority, Housing Associations, voluntary, community & charitable network (inc CAB), Department of Work & Pensions (Job Centre +) MASH (Multi agency Safeguarding Hub) Early help Hub, District Teams, Adult Early Help, Many Social Care Teams………
As slide

10. TRAILBLAZER APPROACH Prevention team Focus on Private Sector solutions
Bid comprises 2 key elements. 1) Early prevention and 2) Improved access to the private rented sector to help address the supply issues.
Prevention
Spotting the early warning signs of homelessness, ensure people know how to get support, case work, multi agency working, providing advice on housing to other public sector professionals, linking professionals together………
Supply
Landlord/Rent solutions – Helping landlords resolve problems and avoid evictions (e.g. help with universal credit issue), mediation, debt advice….
New Business Development – working with lettings partners and extending coverage, marketing to attract private landlords……

11. The Next Steps for Sub-Regional Housing Authorities
Preparation for HRAct, including internal bids for additional financial resource/.
Understanding the latest HRAct guidance and how best to use the Trailblazers ie potential to focus on shared pathways?
Strategic Conversations – including need to re-engage with RSLs (particularly due to increase in refused nominations due to financial concerns)
Act Prep – policy rewrites, retraining staff, bids for additional staff. BUSY TIME for all Housing Options teams at the moment.
Draft Secondary Guidance was released 2 weeks ago with additional level of detail. We know that we need to have clearer pathways and signposting for certain groups of people ie care leavers, offenders etc. In some cases we already have protocols in place. In others we don’t. Trailblazer has already started conversations with some of the other agencies/public bodies. Would like to see if we can use the Trailblazer staff to take forward some of the pathways work as an extension/next steps of the work they are already doing. All LA s in the bid need the pathways so the Trailblazer represents a logical way of taking forward any protocols that are not already in place or at least playing a key role. (To be discussed?)
Also need to consider how we have strategic conversations with RSLs, particularly in terms of nominations. Increasingly finding that Homelink Nominations (bids) are refused due to income concerns. Recognise the need to balance financial viability with the duty to assist in homeless prevention and house those in the greatest need. Would particularly welcome views from around the room in relation to this.
And on top of this, it is business as usual which is ……… (show last slide)

12. Keep calm and prevent homelessness!