Everyone is deserving: the significance of Scotland’s 2012 homelessness commitment

1. University of Stirling, Scotland Everyone is deserving: the significance of Scotland’s 2012 homelessness commitment Isobel Anderson, School of Applied Social Science, University of Stirling, Scotland, UK

2. Outline (Research for Shelter Scotland) • Context – the Scottish homelessness legislation • 2000-2 Review and ‘the 2012 homelessness commitment’ • Assessing progress - methods • Ten years on – progress at national level and local perspectives • Implementation – successes, constraints and challenges • How significant?

3. Scottish homelessness legislation (1977, 1987 Acts) • Duty on local authority to secure housing if: • Household is homeless by legal definition • Household is in priority need • Household has not become homeless intentionally • Household has connection with local authority • Usually ‘social housing’ – council or housing association/registered social landlord (non-profit sector)

4. Who was in priority need (deserving)?2005 Code of guidance - household contains: • Pregnant woman (or recent miscarriage abortion) and/or dependent children • Vulnerable person: old age; mental illness; personality disorder; learning disability; physical disability; chronic ill health; discharged from hospital, prison or forces; ‘other special reason’. • Homeless in emergency: fire, flood, disaster • Age 16-17 • Age 18-20 & at risk of: sexual or financial exploitation: serious alcohol/drug misuse • Age 18-20 and been looked after by state • Risk of domestic violence • Risk/victim of harassment/violence: religion; sexual orientation; race/ethnic identity.

5. Who was not in priority need? (undeserving) • Adults/Adult households aged 21- 60/65 who did have any of the priority need characteristics • Mainly single people of working age, mainly men • Discretionary decision making – excluding some who should have been priority need?

6. What is the 2012 homelessness commitment? • 1999 – housing policy and homelessness devolved to Scottish Parliament • 2000-2002 – Homelessness Task Force Review • Evidence base – questioned legitimacy of priority need test • Recommended its abolition • Homelessness, etc. Scotland Act 2003, set target date for 2012 • ‘Rights possessed by those assessed as being in priority need should be extended to all those assessed as homeless and the priority need distinction should be eliminated’ Recognises – everyone needs a home (deserving)

7. Assessing progress - methods • Review of literature • Review of legislative, policy and practice change • Review of national homelessness statistics • Qualitative discussion groups with local authorities, housing associations, homelessness NGOs • Observation of policy and practice communities – ten years

8. Ten years on – national progress March 2011-April 2012 • 91% of applicants assessed as homeless awarded priority need (see table – next slide) • Single people (26-60/65) now largest priority group • 73% priority homeless receive local authority, housing association or private let • Temporary accommodation: three-fold increase since 2002; includes ordinary social housing; waiting times not clear. • Share of social housing lettings to homeless households = 43% (increased acceptances, fewer vacancies)

9. Ten years on: national progress

10. Ten years on – council perspectives • We have met the target…massive commitment…increased resources and service review • Not met target – focused on prevention • Improved needs assessment procedures • Lack of settled accommodation, long periods in temporary accommodation • Private sector – not equivalent solution

11. Ten years on – housing association perspectives • Broadly supportive – debates about conflict with other applicant groups • Reviewed procedures for managing referrals from local authorities • Implemented flexible lettings policies – challenged by Westminster policy change • Concern about London-centric welfare reform

12. Implementation: contextual change • Political Power – Scotland 2007; UK 2010 • Post 2008 economic crisis – housing market/system • Policy change in Scotland (devolved powers): • Homelessness prevention, Housing Options • Greater emphasis on private rented sector • Debate – who is social housing for? • Policy change in UK (reserved powers) • Punitive housing benefit changes • Wider welfare reform • Austerity measures

13. Conclusions: successes and constraints • Considerable progress towards abolishing priority need test • Provision of settled accommodation a much greater challenge • Scottish Government drives local practice – policy shift without legal change • Risk of losing social housing as effective solution • UK welfare reform undermining progress Scottish approach

14. How significant? • Social justice – ‘right to housing’? • Removes discrimination, increased equality in access to housing • Policy discussion highly technical, little about vision • Social cohesion – impact on meeting other housing needs? • Rational, evidence based policy over ten years? • Survived political change – in principal • Incremental tweaks – policy shifts, policy subversion? • Moving forward? Balance strong legal framework with effective prevention?