Have your Say on Local Homelessness Services
We are consulting to help us to develop a new Homelessness Strategy. It will help to decide how we deliver homelessness services in Melton over the next 5 years. We would like your views on how we can help to reduce homelessness in Melton, how our current service works and how we can improve.
This consultation questionnaire is for people who have experienced homelessness or been at risk or becoming homeless and are willing to share their experiences with us. There is a different form for;
· People who work with or support people who face homelessness
· General public
Why we are consulting
Every five years the council has to undertake a review of homelessness and homelessness services and produce a homelessness strategy.It is important that we have an effective strategy to tackle homelessness that will enable us to support those most in need and to prevent homelessness wherever possible.
We have carried out a Homelessness Review to help us to understand the causes of homelessness in Melton and what the priorities of our new strategy might be.
A discussion paper which sets out what we think the priorities of the new Homelessness Strategy might be is also available to view at the end of the page
1. About you
All personal information provided will be kept confidential. We will not publish or share with others your name or email address or any other personal information that could you identify you.
NameMost homeless people are not on the streets. You are homeless if you havenowhere to stay, for example if you are 'sofa surfing', staying with someone on a very temporary basis or living in a hostel. You can also behomeless if you have a home but it is not reasonable for you to return to it, for example because of threats of violence. You are at risk of becoming homeless if you are not able to remain in your current accommodation for much longer, for example, if you are facingeviction orbeen asked to leave by family or friends.
2. Please select the statement that best describes you…
· / · I am homeless· / · I am at risk of becoming homeless
· / · I have been homeless in the past
· / · I have been at risk of becoming homeless in the past
· / · I am a member of the general public
· / · Other (please state)
Your Experiences of Homelessness
We want to understand the effects of homelessness on people and we think the best way to do this is to ask people who have been affected by homelessness themselves.We would be very grateful if you would be willing to share your homelessness experiences with us.
It will help us to help other people who face homelessness in the future and ensure that they get the right support at the right time.
The information you give us will be kept confidential, we will not share your information with anyone else and we will not publish anyone’s individual responses or any information that might identify you.
We would really value your views but if you would prefer not to share your homelessness experiences with us then please simply go to the end of the page to go to the rest of the survey.
3. Have you ever experienced homelessness or been at risk of becoming homelessness?
· I am homeless or at risk of becoming homelessness now· I have been homeless or at risk of becoming homelessness in the past
If homeless or at risk of homelessness in the past, please state when?
· / 0-6 months ago / 4-5 years ago· / 1-2 years ago / More than 5 years ago
· / 2-3 years ago / I cannot remember
· / 3-4 years ago / I prefer not to say
4. Thinking about the time when you last experienced homelessness or were at risk of homelessness...
My gender was...
· / Male / · / Other· / Female / · / I prefer not to say
My age was...
· / 16-17 / · / 35-44 / · / 65-74 / · / I cannot remember· / 18-24 / · / 45-54 / · / 75-84 / · / I prefer not to say
· / 25-34 / · / 55-64 / · / 85 or over / ·
My household type was best described as..
· / A family with children under 18 / · / Other (please state)· / A single person / · / I prefer not to say
If you were a family with children under 18, how many children did you have?
· / 0 / · / 1 / · / 2 / · / 3 / · / 4+ / · / I prefer not to sayWere you pregnant?
Yes / · / No / · / I prefer not to say5. What do you think are the reasons why you experienced homelessness or were at risk of homelessness?
· / · Parents asked me to leave· / · Other relatives or friends asked me to leave
· / · Rent arears
· / · Landlord served me a notice to end my tenancy
· / · Loss of a tenancy for another reason
· / · Breakdown of relationship with partner (non-violent)
· / · Violent breakdown of relationship with partner
· / · Violence - other
· / · Harassment
· / · Mortgage arrears, repossession or other loss of owned home
· / · I left prison or remand
· / · I left hospital
· / · I left local authority care
· / · I left HM Forces
· / · Other reason (please state)
Please use the space below to tell us more about why you became homeless or why you were at risk of becoming homeless
6. Thinking about when you were homeless or at risk of becoming homeless... which of the following best described you at that time?
(please tick all that apply)
· / · I could not afford to rent a home from a private landlord· / · I could not afford upfront deposit/fees to rent a home from a private landlord
· / · I could not find a private landlord willing to rent because I needed housing benefits to help pay my rent
· / · I could not find a private landlord willing to rent for another reason (please state)
· / · I was on the Council's housing register
· / · I was unsuccessful in bidding for a council or housing association home to rent
· / · I could not afford to buy a home
· / · I could not afford upfront deposit/fees to buy a home
· / · I needed help to repair family or friend relationships
· / · I had a poor credit rating or was bankrupt
· / · I had a low income
· / · I was unemployed
· / · I needed help or advice with debt, benefit or money management
· / · I needed help to learn how to live on my own
· / · I needed ongoing support to live on my own (e.g. support worker, please give details below)
· / · I needed specialist, supported or extra care housing (please give details below)
· / · I could not find a home to meet my mobility or other needs (e.g. wheelchair accessible)
· / · Other (please state)
·
Please use the space below to tell us more about any problems you had in finding accommodation yourself
7. Did you contact anyone for any help or support?
/ I did not contact them / Did not help at all / Provided advice or assistance but it did not help / Provided advice or assistance which was helpful / Helped me to stay in my home / Helped me to get new accommodation (temporary or long term) /Family or
Friends
Melton
Borough Council
Me & My Learning
Citizen Advice Bureau
MYST Lodge
The Bridge
Shelter
Please let us know if you talked to or asked anyone else for help
8. Did you make a homelessness application to a council?
· / Yes to Melton Borough Council / · / No· / Yes to another Local Authority / · / I prefer not to say
Please use the space below to tell us more about anyone you approached for help and the quality of the help you got...What did people do that helped you? What could have been done better?
9. What do you think could have helped you at that time?
(please tick all that apply)
· / · Help with rent deposit and other upfront rental cost· / · A rent guarantor
· / · Someone to talk to my landlord to help me stay in my home
· / · Help with housing benefit problems
· / · Help with rent arrears
· / · A council of housing association home to rent
· / · A place in hostel
· / · A Low cost home ownership scheme home to buy (e.g. shared ownership)
· / · Someone to help with repossession and/or other home ownership problems
· / · Someone to help me talk to my friends or family and resolve problems
· / · More specialist or supported housing (please state)
· / · Support to help me to manage to live independently
· / · Support with issues not related to housing (e.g. mental health support) (please state)
· / · Safety measures to help to make my home safe from threats of violence
· / · Better housing advice
· / · Debt and money management advice
· / · More secure or better paid employment
· / · Better communication between organisations who I had to deal with
· / · Other (please state)
·
Please use the space below to tell us more about what could have helped you
10. Was your homelessness resolved in the end?
I am still homeless or at risk of becoming homelessI was able to stay in my home
I found somewhere else to stay
Other (please state)
I prefer not to stay
Please use this space to tell us more about how you resolved your homelessness
11. Is there any other information that you would like to share about your experiences of homelessness?
12. Could we contact you in the future for more information about your experiences?
· / Yes / · / NoThank you for sharing your homelessness experience
We really value your views
Towards a New Homelessness Strategy
The Homelessness Review identified five key issues which are set out and summarised in theconsultation document;
1. An increasing private rented sector with falling levels of homeownership, particularly amongst the under 35’s
2. A private rented sector that does not work for those with low to moderate incomes, particularly those who need housing with more than one bedroom such as families with children
3. A growing and aging population with the need for more housing of all tenures to meet population growth, including a need to increase the supply of new affordable homes to meet local needs
4. A need to prepare for new responsibilities to prevent and relieve homelessness for all households as a result of the Homelessness Reduction Act (2017) which is expected to come into force in April 2018
5. A need to improve the recording of homelessness cases to improve housing intelligence and improve service delivery.
We are now asking for your opinion on these key issues and whether you think that we have go them right.
13. Do you agree with the key issues we have identified? (please tick)
/ Strongly Disagree / Disagree / Neutral / Agree / Strongly Agree /Increasing private rented sector with falling levels of home ownership
A private rented sector that does not work for those with low to moderate incomes
A growing and aging population with the need for more housing
A need to prepare for new responsibilities to prevent and relieve homelessness (Homelessness Reduction Act)
A need to improve housing intelligence and service delivery.
Please use this space to let us know what you think of the key issues we have identified
Are there any other issues you think we need to include
Towards new Homelessness Strategy Priorities
Following on from the Homelessness Review, four draft priorities have been proposed;
1. Provide enough housing of all tenures to meet local housing needs, including the need for more affordable homes to rent;
2. Help households to meet their own housing needs and aspirations
3. Reduce crisis presentations and support the most vulnerable
4. Delivery an efficient and effective homelessness service, which meets local needs
We are now asking for your opinion on these priorities and whether you think that we have go them right.
14. How much do you agree with each of the proposed priorities? (please tick)
/ Strongly Disagree / Disagree / Neutral / Agree / Strongly Agree /1. Provide enough housing of all tenures to meet local housing needs, including the need for more affordable homes to rent
2. Help households to meet their own housing needs and aspirations
3. Reduce crisis presentations and support the most vulnerable
4. Delivery an efficient and effective homelessness service, which meets local needs
Do you have any comments on the proposed priorities?
Are there any other priorities you think we should include?
15. Is there anything else you think we need to think about or include in our new homelessness strategy?
Thank You for taking your time to complete this form