Post-Devolution Homelessness Policy Reform in Scotland

1
Post-Devolution Homelessness Policy Reform in
Scotland

• Hal Pawson, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh

2
Homelessness reform under devolution the story
so far

• Scottish Parliament established 1999
• Rough Sleepers Initiative already under way
• New administration established ministerial
  Homelessness Task Force (HTF) 1999 reported
  2002
• Acts of Parliament 2001 and 2003 implemented most
  HTF recommendations
• First wave of reforms (2002-03)
• Threatened with homelessness time frame
  extended from 28 days to 2 months
• Prohibition of BB placements for families
• LA obligation to draw up homelessness strategies
  from 2003
• Right to temp accommodation for non-priority
  homeless whilst case assessed

3
Second wave of reforms (from 2003)

• Requirement to provide (insecure tenancy)
  accommodation and support for intentionally
  homeless households
• Ministerial power to suspend local connection
  provisions
• Abolition of priority/non-priority need
  distinction by 2012
• Seen as devolved Scotland flagship policy
  (along with free care for the elderly, student
  financing)
• Presented as exemplifying Scottish social
  justice ethos

4
Practical impacts so far

• Signs that prevention approach has impacted on
  priority acceptances
• But effect far less marked than in England
• Prevention officially promoted and funded as
  in England
• But
• All LAs subject to Communities Scotland rolling
  inspection programme and
• CS criteria on good quality homelessness
  services highly tuned to identify gatekeeping

5
Implications of abolishing priority need test

• Approx 10,000 more households with right to
  permanent rehousing
• 33 expansion in LA obligations
• Executive view replacing bureaucratic
  categorisation and labelling of applicants with
  outcomes firmly focused on applicants needs
• But necessity for rationing remains likely to
  mean more investigative focus on homelessness
  test

6
Abolition of priority need test capacity issues

• Falling supply of LA/HA relets already pushing up
  homeless share of lets
• of new lets to homeless up from 31 to 42 in
  three years to 2005/06
• Comparable 2005/06 figure for England 33
• 2005/06 Scotland figure higher than any English
  region outside London
• Substantial regional variations means some
  councils already severely stressed in quarter of
  LAs homeless lets already gt50 in 2005/06

7
Abolition of priority need test accommodating
the impact

• Exec recognition of capacity issues
• We will only implement changes at a pace
  sustainable and manageable for local authorities
• 2004/05 exercise to estimate impact of 2012 wider
  rehousing duty combined with falling relet supply
• 7 (of 32) LAs predicted 2012 statutory homeless
  would exceed 100 of total social housing supply
• Two thirds of LAs anticipate the majority of all
  new social lets needed to accommodate homeless
  households in 2012
• Prospect of social housing sector accessed
  largely through homelessness channel

8
Scottish Exec action to address capacity issues

• Strengthened powers of LAs to require HA
  rehousing of homeless households
• Statutory duty on private landlords mortgage
  providers to notify LAs of possession actions
• National grant funding regime for LA prevention
  activities (total 2005/06 homelessness funding
  57M)
• Stepped up affordable housing construction see
  graphic

9
Future prospects

• 2007 change of government unlikely to result in
  policy reversal
• But concern at no SNP commitment to further
  expanding affordable housing supply (unlike Lib
  Dems and Greens)
• Homelessness prevention good practice guidance
  expected later in 2007
• 2009 interim target for LAs to reduce by 50
  the proportion of homeless households they assess
  as non-priority base year 2005/06
• Executive committed to looking for ways to make
  greater use of private sector through review of
  Assured Tenancy regime