Overview | Policy and legislation | People at risk of homelessness | Homelessness strategies | Benefits | Prevention & tenancy sustainment

Prevention

How can we prevent homelessness in the first place?

Prevention has often been the poor relation of homelessness research and government legislation. Recent initiatives have begun to address this with work on alternatives to eviction, rent deposit schemes and a move away from hostel accommodation to supported accommodation in the community.

New publications on prevention

Supply of Affordable Housing for Rent

Ultimately, an adequate supply of affordable, rented housing is required across the country so that those at risk of homelessness have access to appropriate accommodation at the time of need. Scotland has a large social rented sector, despite the impact of government policies over the last twenty years to promote owner occupation. This has included the tenants’ ‘right to buy’ local authority owned housing at a substantial discount.

Social rented housing as a proportion of Scottish housing stock has declined over the last twenty years from over 50% to 31%, whilst owner occupation has risen to 62% of the total stock. This means that the potential supply of stock available to vulnerable people who cannot afford to purchase their own homes has declined significantly. In addition it is clear that the most desirable social rented stock has been sold off, so that the remaining stock is largely of a poor quality.

The Housing (Scotland) Act 2001 also gave all tenants of Registered Social Landlords the right to buy. Unless certain other conditions apply, there is a 10 year exemption on tenants being able to exercise this right. Therefore, it is likely that the full effects of this policy will be felt from 2012 onwards.

There are further uncertainties in the pipeline. For example the government is encouraging local authorities to transfer their remaining housing stock to other social landlords. The implications for homeless people and others who are vulnerable was highlighted in an SCSH report – "But what about me .... ? homelessness after stock transfer".

The report warned that homeless people may be forgotten in stock transfers. The study looked at services to homeless people after stock transfers in England and found that provision for homeless people is likely to deteriorate unless local authorities and registered social landlords (RSLs) plan early. The dangers lie in dividing up homeless functions between local authorities and new RSLs instead of maintaining a comprehensive, integrated service. Scotland must learn from this experience.

The private rented sector, though relatively small at 7% of the total stock plays an essential role in providing direct access to housing for some of the most vulnerable groups. Legislation has seen the licensing of multiply occupied houses become compulsory Scotland- wide. This will ensure that such housing complies with certain physical standards but also that the management standards of the landlords are examined.

Housing Support and Supporting People

From 1 April 2003, a new system called ‘Supporting People’ was introduced which involved the transfer of funding from the central government Department of Social Security to local authorities. One advantage of this was to enable a more holistic view to be taken of a person’s housing, support and care needs by the local authority. A key disadvantage is that the system of funding housing support services has moved from an open-ended, demand led system to a cash-limited system. This is particularly relevant for homelessness.

The Homelessness etc. (Scotland) Act 2003 has placed a new duty on local authorities to provide housing support to all households whom they assess as intentionally homeless. This section of the 2003 Act, which will commence after the ‘sizing the pot’ exercise has been carried out to establish how much money local authorities will receive, means that local authorities will have increased statutory responsibilities to provide housing support but without any additional funding.

Local authorities will have to judge different pressures on their cash-limited budget. Some protection is being built in through central government guidance to ensure that less popular groups (such as sex offenders or drug users) are not put at a disadvantage through this change.

In 2003, SCSH carried out a survey of housing support providers to study how the first six-months of the Supporting People program had gone. The Executive Summary of ‘In Need of Support? A Survey of Supporting People Providers’ can be found here.

Rent Deposit Schemes

More and more local authorities and NGO s are developing rent deposit schemes to help vulnerable people gain access to private rented accommodation. Deposits do not have to be paid on social rented property, but in the private rented sector it is normal to have to do so. The Scottish Executive has encouraged the development of rent deposit schemes as part of its rough sleepers initiative. These schemes are needed mainly because the social security system does not make provision for rent deposits.

Housing Education

SCSH’s Housing Education Team help promote housing education across Scotland. Read more on the leavinghome.info website.

Tenancy Sustainment

Every housing provider knows that young people often struggle to sustain their tenancies and that these struggles can lead to crisis and even homelessness. The Scottish Council for Single Homeless' Tenancy Sustainment Resource for young people 'My Space, My Place' can play a valuable role in prevention work. By giving young people the advice and information they need in a form that they understand and respond to we can help them to keep their tenancies going.