Wolverhampton WV1 1SH City of Wolverhampton Council, Civic Centre, St. Peter’s Square, St.Peter’s Council,Civic Centre, City ofWolverhampton wolverhampton. audio orinanotherlanguagebycalling01902 551155 You can get this information in large print, braille, WolverhamptonToday Wolverhampton_Today @WolvesCouncil gov.uk gov.uk 01902 551155 WCC 1875 05/2019 wolverhampton. andIntervention #Prevention 2018 -2022 Strategy Prevention Homelessness Chapter title gov.uk Contents Foreword Foreword 3 Introduction 4 Development of the strategy 6 Defining Homelessness 6 National Context 7 Homelessness Data 8 Homelessness Prevention and Relief 9 UK Government Priorities 10 West Midlands Combined Authority 11 Local Context 12 Since the publication of our last Homelessness Strategy, we have seen dramatic changes to the Demographic Data 13 environment in which homelessness services are delivered. Changes resulting from the economic downturn, and in particular welfare reform, are impacting Under One Roof 13 detrimentally on many low- income groups and those susceptible to homelessness. Well documented Strategic Context 15 funding cuts to Councils are coupled with falls in support and funding streams to other statutory agencies, and those in the voluntary and community sector. Homelessness Strategy 2018-2022 16 As a result, this new strategy is being developed in a context of shrinking resources and increasing demand for services. There is also considerable uncertainty over the future. Homelessness prevention 16 These factors weigh heavily on the determination of what can realistically be achieved in the years Rough Sleepers 18 ahead. Nevertheless, the challenge and our aspiration remains to prevent homelessness wherever possible in line with the new Homelessness Reduction Act. Vulnerability and Health 19 The response to this challenge will be based on the same core principle as that which underpinned Vulnerabilities 20 our previous strategies effective partnership working. Responding to the local housing market 22 Councillor Roger Lawrence Councillor Peter Bilson Leader of the Council Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member City of Wolverhampton Council for City Assets and Housing City of Wolverhampton Council 2 City of Wolverhampton Council wolverhampton. gov.uk Wolverhampton Homelessness Prevention Strategy 201 8- 2022 3 Introduction The Homelessness Act 2002 places a statutory Through joint working between the Local Reducing homelessness is a key priority for the • Transfer of operational homeless services obligation on local authorities to undertake a Authority and partners, Wolverhampton had City of Wolverhampton Council, and over the across to Wolverhampton Homes to improve review of homelessness in their area and reduced the numbers of homelessness last 5 years numerous steps have been taken to on Citywide delivery. develop and publish a strategy to prevent applications to incredibly low numbers via well- prevent homelessness and assist those in • The implementation of a localised private homelessness. developed processes designed to prevent urgent need. landlord’s accreditation scheme (Rent with homelessness. However, over the last 12 While the Homelessness Review paints a picture These include: Confidence). months the numbers of applications have on homelessness locally, the Homelessness • Alternative giving campaign to direct public increased, and there has been a reduction in the • Development of a multi-agency team (MASH) Strategy sets out how to address the problem. funding towards services that work. number of preventions. who work with vulnerable adults and children. The strategy seeks to tackle all forms of • Increased numbers of units for single persons • Sanctuary scheme providing victims of homelessness, including those owed a statutory The Homelessness Reduction Act of April 2018 in supported accommodation. domestic abuse with security measures, thus duty (typically families with dependent children, has an emphasis on the prevention of preventing homelessness. or vulnerable adults), but also those who are homelessness, as well as effective partnership • Introducing a hospital discharge service to single, sleeping on the streets, or other transient work with statutory, voluntary, and third sector assist vulnerable homeless clients pre- and arrangements (e.g. sleeping on a friend’s sofa). agencies. This is to ensure households’ needs post -admission. This is Wolverhampton’s fifth homelessness are met, and that they are assisted as they • Continuation of the joint protocol to work with strategy and has been developed at a crucial engage with agencies to work through their 16-17-year olds in need of advice and or period for the City. The current state of the personalised plans. The Act has a focus on housing. The protocol links housing providers economy has put increased pressure on helping households to access housing. We need with children and families’ social services housing and homelessness services, whilst to make sure we have effective pathways to looking to offer an alternative to statutory changes to the welfare system have encourage and work collaboratively with homelessness. simultaneously decreased the security of tenure households to secure their own • The continued delivery of housing related for many households. accommodation. floating support to assist vulnerable Across the period covered by the last strategy The role of this strategy will therefore be to offer households with sustaining their tenancies. (2015-18), there has been a reduction in public housing options to prevent homelessness in a spending which has put pressure on statutory time of austerity, as well as assisting those who and voluntary organisations, and in some are homeless to access quality affordable extreme cases led to the closure of accommodation in a timely fashion. important services. 4 City of Wolverhampton Council wolverhampton. gov.uk Wolverhampton Homelessness Prevention Strategy 201 8- 2022 5 Development of the strategy National Context To develop an effective homelessness strategy, caused by the lack of accommodation on Homelessness affects and ruins the lives of • 77% of households who are within homeless we must be aware of current local and national households. However, it became very clear early adults and children across the country. It is far temporary accommodation (hostels, refuge issues related to homelessness and housing on that we had to look at homelessness more from solely being a housing issue. People who etc.) are not in any form of paid employment. need. Through several forums and assessment widely, especially the effects it has on health, the are homeless often suffer greater levels of ill tools we have assessed the current situation in economy, and criminal justice. health, unemployment, and drug and alcohol The UK Government published strategies for Wolverhampton. dependency, and in the case of children, lower preventing homelessness and ending rough levels of educational attainment due to sleeping in 2011 and 2012. Despite this, To develop our previous homelessness prolonged, unavoidable absence. statistics collected by all English local housing strategies, we concentrated on the local effects authorities show that homelessness has Examples of these large-scale inequalities worsened. nationally are Defining Homelessness • 1 in 5 homeless people suffer from mental Between 2009/10 to 2016/17, there was a: health problems. a) Statutory Homelessness c) Rough Sleepers • 25% increase in the overall number of people assisted by local authorities The Ministry of Housing, Communities and MHCLG defines rough sleepers as people • The suicide rates of homeless people are 34 Local Government (MHCLG) defines sleeping, about to bed down, or bedded times greater than the general population. • 30% reduction in the number of people for households as statutorily homeless if they down (lying down or sleeping) in the open • 80% of street homeless people are addicted whom homelessness was prevented do not have accommodation they are air, or people in buildings or other places not to drugs or alcohol • 42% reduction in the number of people for entitled to occupy, which they cannot designed for habitation (e.g. barns, car • Homeless children in temporary whom homelessness was relieved physically access, or if they have parks, cars). This does not include people in accommodation miss 11 weeks of schooling accommodation but it is not reasonable for hostels or shelters, or people in campsites, • 33% increase in the number of people owed on average. them to continue to occupy this squatters, or travellers. the main housing (homelessness) duty of accommodation. • 440 individuals have been highlighted as assistance (s.193(2), part 7, Housing Act d) Intentional Homelessness rough sleepers and will therefore be sleeping 1996) Priority need groups include households A person can be considered to have made on the streets at any given day. • 34% increase in the number of households with dependent children, a pregnant themselves homeless if they have living in local authority temporary woman, and people who are in some way deliberately given up their home when it • The life expectancy of someone who is street accommodation vulnerable, such as due to their mental would have been reasonable to remain, or homeless is 42. and/or physical health and wellbeing. In deliberately did or didn’t do something • People who are street homeless are 13 times • 58% increase in the number of people 2002, an Order under the 1996 Housing Act which they knew would mean losing