1. SHEN Annual Forum Really Better Off? November 2007 Linda Butcher Chief Executive Off the Streets and Into Work (OSW)

2. OSW Description and Aims OSW is a registered charity with expertise in providing skills training and employment services to people who are homeless, or at risk of becoming homeless. Our main aims are: 1) To support individuals to become active, to move towards employability, and/or into sustainable employment 2) To meet the training and employment needs and aspirations of individuals.

3. The Question Why should homeless people participate in the labour market?

4. Homelessness and Multiple Disadvantage “The barriers to work that face many disadvantaged groups are substantial, often overlay each other, and regularly cut across non-labour market services such as health and housing.” (UK’s Department for Work and Pensions, 2005)

5. England – recent situation Welfare Reform Act 2007 and on-going developments New ESF Programme 2007-13 Various Government Reviews: Welfare, Skills, Social Housing, Child Poverty

6. Enabling Employment Success for Homeless Individuals – Ten key policy messages (1) 1.Sufficient provision of in-work benefits for those on low wages 2.A coordinated Government response for improving access to employment 3.Benefits that support not trap

7. Enabling Employment Success for Homeless Individuals – Ten key policy messages (2) 4. Housing availability and affordability 5. A realistic Minimum Wage 6. Targeted employment support 7. Hostels/temporary accommodation supporting a return to work

8. Enabling Employment Success for Homeless Individuals – Ten key policy messages (3) 8. Coordinated, holistic support services 9. Supporting routes to higher paid jobs 10. Regulation of temporary work

9. Work can ‘pay’for a homeless person when: They earn more and work more hours They are eligible for Working Tax Credit, especially if they are eligible for the disability element They have lower housing costs and therefore experience a more gradual withdrawal of Housing Benefit - for example they living ‘nationally’ in social housing They live outside of London They progress within work in the first year to better pay, otherwise they may end up worse off in year two And…. if they are worse off out of work they will be better off in work

11. The answer to the question is yes: If the support and flexibility are in place If the definition of ‘labour market’ includes different options If homeless people aren’t being set up to fail or become more vulnerable, excluded or disadvantaged So that people can escape homelessness, poverty, and meet their own aspirations

13. Further Information Relevant Documents include: ‘Enabling Employment Success for Homeless Individuals: Ten Key Policy Messages’ ‘Multiple Barriers, Multiple Efforts’ Right Deal for Homeless People Transnational Research Study on homelessness and employment Websites: www.osw.org.uk www.4inclusion.orgwww.4inclusion.org (English, French, Spanish, Hungarian) www.feantsa.org