1. Counting and identifying homeless people living in HMOs and B&Bs
Sheila Spencer
Housing consultant
23rd April 2015

2. Findings of research in 2013 in the North East: the numbers
Around 114 B&Bs and 14 private hostels in the 12 LAs in the North East
% of clientele were non-statutory homeless
Mostly self-referred
Very difficult to identify how many single homeless people are in private unsupported temporary accommodation.

3. Methodology used for identifying the list
We asked:
Each LA homelessness / housing options service to identify the B&Bs and private hostels used or on a list for non-statutory homeless people
Environmental Health / private sector teams for their list of HMOs and asked which were used most commonly by homeless people
Housing Benefit for a list of B&Bs and HMOs they thought were used by homeless people – and for numbers accommodated in them and claiming HB – very few LAs could tell us
Advice agencies where they thought homeless people were staying
Homeless people about the places they knew about

4. Why is it such a tricky task?
No-one is required to record who stays in B&Bs / private hostels – other than by agreement with a few local authorities, or for statutory homeless clients (and some young people leaving care)
Not all B&Bs have to be registered as HMOs (not over 2 storeys or not more than 5 people)
Not every HMO is registered as required by law
Fine distinction between HMOs (could be bedsitters), private hostels, and B&Bs / guest houses
Depends on
Whether breakfast offered / provided or facilities to make it
Whether owner lives on site
Size of house / no of rooms offered for guests
Who accom is occupied by – tourists and other holiday makers, contract workers, homeless people, people who live there for a while
No solid definition of any of these terms other than for 2004 HMO legislation.

5. Are homeless people not counted by someone?
Homelessness is counted through:
P1E data – records number of presentations (decisions), number and details of those accepted as being owed a statutory duty, numbers placed in temporary accommodation as part of statutory duty
Numbers placed in supported accommodation
Rough sleeper count or estimate, and numbers reported and verified as rough sleeping
For many single homeless, there is no record kept unless they have presented as homeless, and no record kept of outcome e.g. accommodated in B&B or private hostel.

6. Further information
“Making best use of Private Hostels and Bed & Breakfast when accommodating homeless people” Sheila Spencer and Richard Corkhill, NERHG, 2013
NEHTT Measuring Single Homelessness report and key points