On 21 May last year the Welsh Government made a landmark commitment to aim for a future ‘where homelessness does not exist’. The Housing White Paper set out a vision of homelessness services based firmly on citizen-centred principles. Old inequalities would be swept away and a new set of rights established to guarantee a level of assistance to anyone facing homelessness in Wales.
With the promise of an end to family homelessness by 2019, a statutory duty to assist any household with homelessness prevention, and the prospect of a long-term aim to abolish priority need, the White Paper appeared to lay out a tentative roadmap towards universal assistance.
Sensibly, the Government’s approach would be to realise the financial benefits of enhanced prevention work first, before broadening out people’s rights to accommodation at a later date. It would be possible to learn from the experiences of Scotland in this regard and to aim for the same high ideal while being realistic about resources.
Since the White Paper consultation, there has been much private lobbying and very little public debate about these proposals. Today, we urge the Welsh Government to renew its commitment to the vision as laid out in the White Paper.
Key to the vision is a universal prevention service available to anyone presenting as homeless or threatened with homelessness. The beauty of the original Housing Solutions model was this basic principle of equality at the point of approach, including the promise of emergency accommodation to those households with nowhere safe to stay.
We are concerned to learn that the Welsh Government is considering backtracking on this point of equality, by providing temporary accommodation to priority need homeless households only. Although we welcome the fact that households threatened with homelessness will have universal access to prevention services, we believe that to re-introduce tests for homeless households at the point of presentation will fatally compromise the ability of local authorities to provide services fairly.
Non-priority homeless households will remain in unsafe situations, and may well drop out of reach entirely, while local authorities are likely to concentrate resources on those households that are taking up accommodation spaces.
The retention of these tests at an early stage for homeless households will support the ‘process driven environment with substantial resources devoted to inquiry, interpretation and challenge’ identified in the White Paper. The more resources are skewed towards administering tests, the less will be available for helping people.
We also fear that the headline commitment to ‘end family homelessness by 2019’ may be under review. Our research on intentional homelessness found especially damaging impacts of the decision on households with children and young people. Any additional incentive for families to present that may come from ending intentionality for this group can be anticipated and provided for in guidance, by designing specific requirements around the housing offer itself.
We have serious concerns about the proposal to discharge homelessness duties with a six-month tenancy in the private rented sector. A six month tenancy is not a sustainable housing solution and will merely lead to mounting indebtedness and revolving door applications. The Localism Act 2011 goes further than this by requiring a minimum twelve month assured shorthold tenancy – a term which we believe should also be the minimum in Wales.
We understand the very real need to deliver services within tight budgets: however, we argue that even within these constraints the Welsh Government can still set out a clear direction of travel. Staged implementation of legislation can provide a roadmap while allowing flexibility to bring in more advanced elements at a later date, when resources allow.
The temporary accommodation duty, the end of intentional homelessness for families and the end of priority need can all be included now in legislation, for implementation at a later time.
Our concern is that, without a complete roadmap enshrined in legislation, momentum towards achieving the bold aim of ending homelessness will be irretrievably lost.
People and Homes 2013 ▪ Thursday 27 June ▪ Marriott Hotel, Swansea
Shelter Cymru’s conference takes place amid the upheaval of continuing economic stagnation and massive changes to the welfare system, which are seriously affecting many people’s ability to find and keep a decent, secure home.
However, the imminent introduction of Wales’s first Housing Bill provides an unrivalled opportunity for all sectors to work together to shape a fairer housing system that works for the benefit of the people of Wales.
People and Homes 2013 will examine the wider social and economic implications of these issues as well as what they mean for people working on the frontline of housing and homelessness services.
Expect our usual mix of expert speakers, lively informed debate and workshop sessions with a strong practical slant.
Standard price: £200 ▪ Poorly funded organisations: £100 ▪ Students: £60
Discounts available on group bookings.