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Operation of the homeless persons legislation in Scotland: Quarters ending 30 June 2009 and 30 September 2009. Craig Kellock Duncan Gray. HL1 data collection. Data collected for each homelessness application at 3 stages Application Assessment Outcomes Publication follows similar structure.
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Operation of the homeless persons legislation in Scotland: Quarters ending 30 June 2009 and 30 September 2009 Craig Kellock Duncan Gray
HL1 data collection • Data collected for each homelessness application at 3 stages • Application • Assessment • Outcomes • Publication follows similar structure
Also included… From summary data collection • Households in temporary accommodation at the end of each quarter • Notifications of households at risk of homelessness due to eviction
Homelessness applications • 28,862 homelessness applications between April and September 2009 • Mostly single people (62%) and single parents (24%) • Households with children represent 31% of all applications received
Reasons for homelessness • Household disputes or relationship breakdown (29%) • Asked to leave (26%) • Financial reasons (5%) • Other action by landlord (7%) • Discharge from prison, hospital or care (5%) Percentage figures are fairly steady over time but vary according to the previous housing circumstances
Assessments • Local authorities are required to make inquiries into the circumstances of the applicant household to determine whether • the applicant is homeless, potentially homeless or neither • the applicant has a priority need • the applicant became homeless intentionally or unintentionally
2012 legislation • All unintentionally homeless households will be entitled to settled accommodation • Between April and September 2009, 84% of homeless assessments were accorded priority
Local authority assessments Between April and September 2009: • In 5 councils, over 90% assessed as priority • In 17 councils, 80% - 90% assessed as priority • In 6 councils, 70% - 80% assessed as priority • In 3 councils, 60% - 70% assessed as priority • In 1 council, 59% assessed as priority
Progress to 2012 • In 2008/09, each council was set an interim target to monitor progress to 2012. • 14 councils met their interim target • 21 councils have increased % homeless assessed as priority compared to April – Sep 2008
Progress to 2012 Comparing April – September 2008 with April – September 2009: • Angus up from 86% to 100% priority • Dundee up from 83% to 99% • Midlothian up from 74% to 84% • Stirling up from 66% to 82% • Perth and Kinross up from 72% to 79%
East Lothian dropped from 68% to 59% • Scottish Borders dropped from 77% to 68% • Moray dropped from 71% to 65% • Shetland remain on 64%
Policy approach to 2012 commitment Four pronged approach • Focus on prevention • Improve access of homeless households to existing housing stock • Invest in appropriate areas (informed by modelling seminars) to meet homelessness/ wider housing need • Continued leadership at political/ corporate level
Outcomes Progress to 2012 commitment means more homeless households are securing a permanent let. Between April and September 2009: • 6,318 homeless households secured a LA let • 3,879 secured a housing association let • 1,588 secured a private let
Temporary accommodation summary statistics • Quarterly stats from a summary data collection giving the number of households placed in temporary accommodation as a result of homelessness application. • Local authorities cannot put households with children or pregnant women into unsuitable temporary accommodation unless exceptional circumstances apply.
Households in temporary accommodation as at 31 December 2009 • 10,278 households in temporary accommodation as at 31 December 2009 • 3,595 households with children in temporary accommodation • 19 households with children or pregnant women in B&B accommodation • 11 breaches of Unsuitable Accommodation Order in 2009 quarter 4.
Notifications of households at risk of homelessness due to eviction • Information on the number of households at risk of homelessness due to eviction • Link to prevention strategies • New data collection starting from April 2009 so only have data for the 3 quarters up to December 2009 • 3,381 notifications during Oct – Dec 2009