A MANIFESTO FOR LGBTIQA+ COMMUNITY HOUSING MAYORAL ELECTION 2020 CAMPAIGN A MANIFESTO FOR LONDON LGBTIQA+ COMMUNITY HOUSING MAYORAL ELECTION 2020 CAMPAIGN

This manifesto recommends actions for the prospective next Mayor of London to commit to that will make a significant difference to the lives of the most disadvantaged LGBTIQA+ people in the Capital. It will show an understanding and commitment to LGBTIQA+ citizens that goes far beyond the City Hall Pride reception.

WHY A MANIFESTO FOR LGBTIQA+ Almost one quarter (24%) of young people COMMUNITY HOUSING? facing or experiencing homelessness identify as LGBTQ+3 There is a chronic lack of provision of LGBTIQA+ There are only 77 LGBTIQA+ specific community housing in London reflecting community housing bed spaces in the an absence of understanding the specific Capital. issues, needs and disadvantages facing many LGBTIQA+ citizens. This historic deficiency of There is currently no housing with care awareness and investment must be rectified provision for older LGBT+ people in London. through the creation of a London-wide pathway LGBTIQA+ community housing organisations which is distinct from mainstream services support over 1300 people in London each (current services that are not identity specific) year4. and is based on the expertise of all parts of the LGBTIQA+ community. KEY RECOMMENDATIONS We have used the latest available statistics in We ask the next prospective Mayor of London to this manifesto to highlight the issues but we undertake to: acknowledge that these often do not include many members of our communities as they 1. Produce an LGBTIQA+ Housing Strategy are limited to what has been collected by for London government agencies. Therefore throughout 2. Work with local councils to build a London- this manifesto you will see varying use of the wide support pathway of accommodation acronym LGBTIQA+ related to the research and support services for LGBTIQA+ people referenced. This demonstrates the gaps in research and data collection for our community. 3. Create a Greater London Authority portfolio role for LGBTIQA+ housing London has the highest proportion of people who openly identify as LGB in 4. Fund LGBTIQA+ awareness training for the UK, estimated to be at least 450,000 commissioners and delivery staff citizens (5.1% percent of the population in 5. Establish a coordinated approach to data 1 2017) collection to evidence need and impact Nearly one in five LGBT people (18%) 6. Embed community-led principles in all of including 25% of trans people and 28% of these actions to ensure there is ‘Nothing LGBT disabled people, have experienced about us without us’ with appropriate homelessness at some point in their lives2. funding to facilitate this.

1. Public Health (2017) Producing modelled estimates of the size of the , and bisexual (LGB) population of England. 2. and YouGov (2018) LGBT in Britain: Home and Communities. 3. akt (2015) LGBT Youth Homelessness: A UK National Scoping of cause, prevalence, response and outcome. 4. excluding Micro Rainbow.

02 A MANIFESTO FOR LONDON LGBTIQA+ COMMUNITY HOUSING 1. AN LGBTIQA+ HOUSING on the poor access to housing services STRATEGY FOR LONDON for LGBTIQA+ people. Mayoral leadership should be pivotal in influencing local This will provide a policy context of authorities to enable a London-wide understanding the specific issues approach to LGBTIQA+ access to housing LGBTIQA+ people face and the required services, raising awareness of the issues housing related interventions to address of ‘LGBTIQA+ Beacon Cities’ and that a disadvantage. Placing clear information local connection is not required under and evidence in a policy document will the Homelessness Reduction Act. An start to address the requirement for understanding of the issues involved and improved awareness of the needs of all need for specialist housing support options our communities and why we become that are not available in all Boroughs must homeless, experience isolation and underpin this approach, with the outcomes multiple disadvantages. An LGBTIQA+ for LGBTIQA+ people critical in measuring Housing Strategy will show that the its success. housing policy focus must be deeper ‘LGBT service provision is largely than just delivering housing numbers underfunded or unavailable within many and tenures. In order to comply with the London boroughs or regions. As a result, , it must look at the the majority of respondents were unable to equality of impact of access to services access LGBT-specific services within their on LGBTIQA+ people, and seek to remedy locality, whilst a majority of respondents disadvantage. stated they would prefer to access LGBT- specific services if they were available to The Strategy would look in detail at the them.’ needs of young people, older people, Trust for London, Still Out There (2016) refugees and asylum seekers, the issue of homelessness and the need for 3. A GREATER LONDON LGBTIQA+ community support networks. AUTHORITY PORTFOLIO ROLE The Strategy would also explain why FOR LGBTIQA+ HOUSING LGBTIQA+ community space is essential as many people will not access services This role would be crucial to ensure the through the mainstream routes and/or practical delivery of the LGBTIQA+ Housing may lack awareness. Strategy for London. The role would be the link between the different departments of the Greater London Authority, the London 2. A LONDON-WIDE HOUSING Boroughs and the LGBTIQA+ community AND SUPPORT PATHWAY FOR housing groups. The Greater London Authority LGBTIQA+ PEOPLE portfolio role would ensure regular meetings with the community housing groups in order Individual Borough requirements for a to ensure progress against targets and to use local connection has a significant impact their expertise.

A MANIFESTO FOR LONDON LGBTIQA+ COMMUNITY HOUSING 03 4. LGBTIQA+ AWARENESS people may not be prepared to come out TRAINING FOR to them. Therefore, the Mayor should also COMMISSIONERS AND support the LGBTIQA+ community housing DELIVERY STAFF sector to gather robust data that will inform delivery and strategy. This should To complement the community include the provision of a data recording organisations working in housing and system across LGBTIQA+ networks and a other fields, commissioners and front revision of LGBTIQA+ data recording within line delivery staff should be trained in mainstream services and the Greater LGBTIQA+ awareness to support people in London Authority system CHAIN. housing need and be resourced to ensure 6. ‘NOTHING ABOUT US services are high quality. This training WITHOUT US’ - COMMUNITY- should be commissioned and funded by LED PRINCIPLES WITH the Greater London Authority. FUNDING TO FACILITATE

5. A COORDINATED The absence of understanding of the APPROACH TO DATA specific issues, needs and disadvantages COLLECTION TO EVIDENCE facing LGBTIQA+ citizens by mainstream IMPACT organisations is at the root of many of the housing and support issues our There is very little data available on the communities face. An LGBTIQA+ community housing outcomes of LGBTIQA+ people. led approach is essential to ensure There needs to be better information that this disadvantage is addressed about the housing needs and aspirations appropriately and sensitively. With funding of LGBTIQA+ people. The GLA should we can ensure that consultation and require local authorities to monitor sexual services are accessible to all LGBTIQA+ orientation and within people in London with an active bias housing and homeless services, to ensure towards those who are more marginalised LGBTIQA+ people and their specific needs within our community including trans, are counted. It is recognised that often BAME, people with addiction, mental health mainstream organisations are not able and physical health needs, and people to obtain this information because some seeking asylum.

04 A MANIFESTO FOR LONDON LGBTIQA+ COMMUNITY HOUSING LGBTIQA+ COMMUNITY HOUSING SERVICES IN LONDON

“The Mayor should recognise the crucial role that LGBTIQA+ community housing organisations play in supporting individuals and in the prevention of homelessness, that is specific and different to mainstream providers. An LGBTIQA+ Housing Strategy should be developed in coalition with our organisations and the housing solutions should be delivered by LGBTIQA+ community housing organisations.”

akt akt.org.uk equal opportunities in life, including in accessing employment, training, education, akt (formerly the Albert Kennedy Trust) financial services, healthcare, housing, is a charity that supports LGBTQ+ young places of faith, and public services. Micro people aged 16-25 who are facing or Rainbow opened the first safe house in experiencing homelessness or living in the United Kingdom dedicated solely to hostile environments to find safe homes, LGBTIQA+ asylum seekers and refugees. employment, education or training and Our houses provide a safe and temporary to celebrate their identities in order to shelter for LGBTIQA+ asylum seekers and improve their life outcomes. akt helps refugees. young people: stay safe in a crisis; find emergency accommodation; access Micro Rainbow currently has no bed specialist support; develop skills, identify spaces in London Boroughs (but has 16 and achieve life goals. It does this by beds in the wider London area). offering: access to advice from housing specialists, connections to mentors for STONEWALL HOUSING one-to-one support; access to emergency stonewallhousing.org support packs or tenancy starter packs; accommodation with specially trained akt Stonewall Housing works to ensure hosts; a place to stay in its Purple Door lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans people live safe house or a safe place with one of our in safer homes, free from fear, and where many housing provider partners. we can celebrate our identity and support each other to achieve our full potential. akt provides 6 bed spaces in London in its Stonewall Housing provides supported Purple Door safe house and on average housing to over 40 young LGBT+ people; support around 300 young people per delivers a free, confidential housing advice year in London. helpline to LGBT+ people of all ages; holds drop-in housing advice surgeries MICRO RAINBOW microrainbow.org for LGBT+ people; delivers specialist and awareness training for social housing staff Micro Rainbow’s vision is to create a and tenants; provides consultancy and world where LGBTIQA+ people are free information to other agencies about LGBT+ from , persecution and have housing issues; provides support services

A MANIFESTO FOR LONDON LGBTIQA+ COMMUNITY HOUSING 05 to individuals and other agencies on a urban LGBT+ affirmative retirement subcontract basis; lobbies and campaigns communities where people can share for the housing rights of LGBT+ people. common experiences, find mutual support and enjoy their later life. Working through Stonewall Housing provides 48 bed partnership arrangements with housing spaces in London for young LGBT+ people and care providers, we will provide and on average support around 1000 accommodation and safe social spaces LGBT+ people per year in London where older LGBT+ people are supported, gain life affirming social connections and THE OUTSIDE PROJECT access culturally appropriate services. lgbtiqoutside.org There is currently no housing with care provision for LGBT+ people anywhere in We are LGBTIQA+ colleagues, friends and the UK; Tonic is focusing on London initially activists who work in the Homeless sector as the capital has the highest older LGBT+ & have lived experience of homelessness population. & the unique, complex issues our community face. We campaigned for a There is currently no housing with care homeless/crisis shelter & LGBTIQA+ provision for older LGBT+ people in Community Centre in response to London. those within the community who feel endangered, who are homeless, ‘hidden’ homeless & feel that they are on the OUR CAMPAIGN TEAM outside of services due to historical & INCLUDES STONEWALL AND present in society & in their THE LGBT CONSORTIUM homes. STONEWALL stonewall.org.uk The Outside Project provides 13 bedspaces in London (referrals included Stonewall was founded in 1989 by a small in Stonewall Housing figures) group of people who had been active in the struggle against of the Local TONIC tonicliving.org.uk Government Act. Stonewall is renowned for its campaigning and lobbying. Some Tonic is a community led not for profit major successes include helping achieve business creating vibrant and inclusive the equalisation of the age of consent,

06 A MANIFESTO FOR LONDON LGBTIQA+ COMMUNITY HOUSING lifting the ban on LGB people serving in Other key evidence sources on LGBTIQA+ the military, securing legislation which housing issues include: allowed same-sex couples to adopt and the repeal of Section 28. In the 2018 National LGBT+ Survey5 one third of the 108,000 respondents said CONSORTIUM consortium. that there had been a serious incident in the home within the previous year. A national specialist infrastructure and Membership organisation working to LGBT homeless youth are highly strengthen and support LGBT+ groups, likely to have experienced familial organisations and projects so they can rejection, abuse and violence (69%, AKT deliver direct services and campaign for 2015) and whilst homeless, they are individual rights. significantly more likely to experience targeted violence, sexual exploitation, substance misuse, and physical & mental health problems than other FURTHER homeless youth6 INFORMATION In the 2017 No Place Like Home study7 We collectively use the term LGBTIQA+ of LGBTIQA social housing residents in our manifesto to express our 32% felt their neighbourhood was not commitment to include all members of a safe place to live as an LGBTIQA our communities, although our individual person; this was 60% amongst trans organisations may use a variation of this respondents. acronym in their own work. In 2011 Stonewall8 found that 45% We have used the latest available of older LGB people experience statistics in this manifesto to highlight discrimination while using social care issues, but we acknowledge that these services and that 73% of older LGB often do not include many members of people express discomfort in disclosing our communities as they are limited to their sexuality to care home staff what has been collected by government agencies.

5. Government Equalities Office (2018) National LGBT Survey report.6. akt (2015) LGBT Youth Homelessness: A UK National Scoping of cause, prevalence, response and outcome. 7. University of Surrey (2017) No Place Like Home? Exploring the concerns, preferences and experiences of LGBT*Q social housing residents. 8. Stonewall (2011) Lesbian, Gay & Bisexual People in Later Life

A MANIFESTO FOR LONDON LGBTIQA+ COMMUNITY HOUSING 07