The Appendices
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THE APPENDICES Appendix A: The Consultation Findings Appendix B: The Joint Strategic Needs Assessment for Tameside Appendix C: Tameside Homelessness Review Appendix D: Linkages with Key Strategies Appendix E: Housing Needs Assessment 1 Appendix A: Consultation Responses Topic Theme Comment Causes of homelessness in Tameside Finance Lack of money A lot more people not coping financially Unemployment Debt People getting used to a certain standard of living that they cannot sustain Causes of homelessness in Tameside Properties/Accommodation National housing shortage, particularly social housing Causes of homelessness in Tameside Age Homeless people tend to be under 35 Hospital discharges picks up people over 55, so they do not get sent straight from the hospital to Housing Advice Causes of homelessness in Tameside Properties/Accommodation 8 million people on housing waiting list Causes of homelessness in Tameside Properties/Accommodation Lack of housing options Causes of homelessness in Tameside Properties/Accommodation ‘Affordable’ housing is not affordable People cannot afford to get in housing if not in work Bedroom tax stops people from moving into available accommodation 2 Topic Theme Comment Causes of homelessness in Tameside Breakdown in Family Breakdown of family Relations relationships Causes of homelessness in Tameside Substance Misuse Lifestyle ‘choices’ such as drugs, alcohol Causes of homelessness in Tameside Mental Health Mental health issues/problems Causes of homelessness in Tameside Combination of Factors Each individual will have a different combination of factors that have led to their homelessness, sometimes interrelated, mental health problems, drugs, finances etc. Causes of homelessness in Tameside Change in Circumstances Factors such as benefits changes, rent arrears, universal credit changes, reduction in security of tenure contribute to homelessness Causes of homelessness in Tameside Finance Insufficient finances to support oneself Causes of homelessness in Tameside National Policy Welfare Reform Causes of homelessness in Tameside Properties/Accommodation Not enough properties Causes of homelessness in Tameside Finance The main causes we have on homelessness within Tameside are that tenants are getting section 21 notices. There are a lot of people with rent arrears Causes of homelessness in Tameside Mental Health Mental health is also an issue 3 Topic Theme Comment but we find it tends to be just one of multiple issues, with the main cause being that the individual does not have a support system. Many do not have family or friends who they can turn to for help. Causes of homelessness in Tameside Breakdown in Family We find it tends to be one of Relations multiple causes, but the main issues happen because people do not have a support system. If they have no family or friends who can they turn to for help? Causes of homelessness in Tameside Breakdown in Family Family breakdown is a key Relations trigger to homelessness. Causes of homelessness in Tameside Negative Relationships Relationships with ‘friends’. We work with men who have friends who wreck their flats or cause a nuisance, and this then affects their tenancy agreement. Often, they are too scared to say no to people so they end up losing their home. Causes of homelessness in Tameside Substance Misuse An alcoholic would rather 4 Topic Theme Comment spend his money on alcohol. If people are given food, sleeping bags (etc.), this means that they are more likely to spend money on alcohol because their needs are being met on the street. They are more likely to stay homeless because of drugs, alcohol and an inability to budget. Causes of homelessness in Tameside Finance-Budgeting Skills People are expected to be able to do maths, yet one third of people in the UK have a maths level of age 11 or under. One of the main things we help people with is budgeting. It is comparable to parenting for adults. For example, the care system does not help people to be ready for life. Causes of homelessness in Tameside Breakdown in Family Relationship break up is a Relations very common issue. Men are more likely to leave the home or be asked to leave the home particularly if there have been domestic violence 5 Topic Theme Comment issues. This has happened even in the case of the male being the victim. Causes of homelessness in Tameside Finance Some people in employment are at risk of homelessness if they are earning low wages and are not entitled to benefits. An example was given of a young man who is employed as a teaching assistant. Causes of homelessness in Tameside People with an Offending Leaving custody and finding it History Leaving Custody hard to find accommodation Causes of homelessness in Tameside Domestic Violence People fleeing from domestic violence Causes of homelessness in Tameside Breakdown in Family Parents cannot Relations accommodate and there is a breakdown between them Causes of homelessness in Tameside Properties/Accommodation Lack of accommodation for large families There is an increase in the number of very large families comprising 7 or 8 children. These families find it hard to obtain accommodation. Causes of homelessness in Tameside Properties/Accommodation Loss of supported housing Causes of homelessness in Tameside Operational Issues Processing and Response Times: There has been a significant 6 Topic Theme Comment increase in the numbers of housing benefit applications. Housing benefits are not processed quickly enough Causes of homelessness in Tameside Operational Issues Information Sharing: Need better information sharing about property There are issues around differences in the information sharing protocols of DWP and the housing benefit service Causes of homelessness in Tameside Operational Issues Contacting Services: Need links and contact person with DWP and the housing benefit service Causes of homelessness in Tameside Operational Issues Inflexibility of Department of Work and Pensions (DWP’s) and Job Centre Plus’s Procedures Sanctions placed on benefits Causes of homelessness in Tameside Change in Circumstances Changes to benefits such as stopping or reducing benefits is a key trigger to homelessness. Prevention tools/actions to prevent homelessness which have worked Ongoing Support which The Housing First initiative meets the needs of those gives people a property then 7 Topic Theme Comment at risk of homeless helps build the support needed around them afterwards Providing this stable home gives the person a foundation from which to build their lives Prevention tools/actions to prevent homelessness which have worked Negotiation/Mediation Dialogue between a tenant, their landlord and an Oldham Council officer led to the tenant, who was being threatened with notice/eviction due to rent arrears, not being evicted. Clear communication helped prevent the tenant becoming homeless, and the input of an independent third-party helped create a better dialogue between the tenant and the landlord The provision of supported housing projects helps prevent homelessness Prevention tools/actions to prevent homelessness which have worked Ongoing Support which The church lets homeless meets the needs of those people use its phones at risk of homeless because it costs them money to ring about their benefits. Prevention tools/actions to prevent homelessness which have worked Ongoing Support which The main reason that New meets the needs of those Hope, at the Church of the at risk of homeless 8 Topic Theme Comment Nazarene, works for people is because when they become part of the church or they ask for help from New Hope, they become part of a wider family that works very differently to traditional services. People are treated like a friend from the start – we will invite people to our house for tea! Prevention tools/actions to prevent homelessness which have worked Pre-Eviction Protocol The Pre-eviction protocol can work well The Welfare Rights Team and Rainbow Haven Prevention tools/actions to prevent homelessness which have worked Faith Sector The Church of the Nazarene is working in partnership with staff from Curzon Ashton on some projects and both are providing complimentary provision of food on Christmas Day. The BOAZ charity is helping asylum seekers and they are based in central Manchester. Prevention tools/actions to prevent homelessness which have worked Ongoing Support which We enable people to stay in meets the needs of those their own home by supporting at risk of homeless them to budget correctly and 9 Topic Theme Comment help them to sort out their houses if they have not looked after it. This often prevents them from being evicted. For example, we have one man who we are helping. He has lowered his alcohol intake; he is cleaning his flat, we are helping him with his recycling, and to keep up to date with his finances etc. Prevention tools/actions to prevent homelessness which have worked Building Relationships and We have drop-ins on a Advocacy Monday and Sunday and we build up relationships with people. We take people to Housing Options. We contact the services for them so that we can try and find emergency accommodation. Prevention tools/actions to prevent homelessness which have worked Ongoing Support which We accept people’s post. meets the needs of those at risk of homeless Prevention tools/actions to prevent homelessness which have worked Negotiation/Mediation Contact with family and friends can be effective and there are times when SERCO has given a person who has 10 Topic Theme Comment received a decision extra time in their accommodation Prevention tools/actions to prevent homelessness which have worked Ongoing Support which Short term, it is a hot meal, meets the needs of those compassion and helping at risk of homeless where you can. Prevention tools/actions to prevent homelessness which have worked Long Term Investment in Long term we need Education and Skills investment in parenting Development classes, pregnant mums, sex education etc. At the moment we are just perpetuating the problem.