No One Left Out: Communities Ending Rough Sleeping

No One Left Out: Communities ending rough sleeping

Good Practice Notes: Developing a strategic response to prevent and tackle rough sleeping

No One Left Out: Communities ending rough sleeping

Good Practice Notes: Developing a strategic response to prevent and tackle rough sleeping

September 2009

Department for Communities and Local Government

Communities and Local Government

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September 2009

Product Code: 09 PRH 06089A

ISBN: 978-1-4098-1830-4

Contents 

Contents

Section 1Background5

Section 2Communities and Local Government’s preventing
rough sleeping tool kit6

Section 3Using s.192(3) powers to prevent rough sleeping7

Section 4Self assessment checklist13

Section 5Street needs audit14

Section 6Street count guidance15

Section 7Outreach balanced scorecard16

Section 8Reconnections protocols17

Section 9PrOMPT: Prevention Opportunities Mapping and
Planning Toolkit19

Section 10MOPP: Move On Planning Protocol20

Section 11Champions21

Section 12Specialist Advisers22

Section 1 Background 

Section 1

Background

1.1Policy context

The government’s new rough sleeping strategy No One Left Out: Communities ending rough sleeping was launched on 18 November 2008. Building on the success in reducing the numbers of people sleeping rough by two thirds over the last 10 years, the strategy sets out a new ambitious objective of ending rough sleeping in England by 2012.

The new rough sleeping strategy recognises the importance of:

Preventing people sleeping rough – tackling the flows of new rough sleepers onto the streets
Diverting people from the streets as quickly as possible – so no one needs to stay sleeping rough and to avoid people becoming entrenched and developing or exacerbating problems such as poor mental health, substance misuse and physical health

Sustaining people in accommodation and their communities to prevent them returning to the streets in the future.

Many local authorities with significant numbers of rough sleepers have commissioned a range of services, including street outreach, day centres and accommodation and support pathways to tackle rough sleeping.

An increasing number of authorities are adopting an Enhanced Housing Options
approach which makes a robust prevention “offer” to non statutory households (those
to whom no full housing duty is owed under Part VII of the Act). This offer includes
effective housing options advice and usually includes support to access private rented sector, with floating support access to supported housing where the individual’s needs warrant this level of service.

These guidance notes are intended for local authorities who may traditionally not experienced high numbers of people sleeping rough, or have in place significant levels
of specialist provision, but who still need to adopt a strategic response to preventing
rough sleeping.

Section 1 Background 

Section 2

Communities and Local Government’s preventing rough sleeping tool kit

Communities and Local Government (CLG) are putting together a tool kit to assist local authorities in reviewing and developing their services to prevent and tackle rough sleeping.

The tool kit includes:

(This) Good Practice Note on Preventing and Tackling Rough Sleeping
Using s.192(3) Powers to Prevent Rough Sleeping
Self Assessment Checklist
Street Needs Audit (SNA)
Street Count Guidance
Outreach Balanced Scorecard
Reconnections Protocols Guidance
Prevention Opportunities Mapping and Planning Tool (PrOMPT)
Move On Planning Protocol (MOPP)
Good practice notes on tackling rough sleeping amongst A8 and A2 nationals
Champions Programme
Specialist Advisers on Rough Sleeping

This good practice note sets out the tools and support available for local authorities to prevent and tackle rough sleeping in their area, with a brief overview of each element in the tool kit described above.

Section 3 Using s. 192(3) powers to prevent rough sleeping 

Section 3

Using s.192(3) powers to prevent
rough sleeping

Many authorities will not have high numbers of people sleeping rough in their area. Although there is evidence of rough sleeping in rural areas and smaller market towns,
most people think of people sleeping rough in larger towns and urban areas; in London
in particular.

In central London, and many other urban areas outside the capital, the majority of people sleeping rough may not come from the area. Many migrate into central areas and large towns because there are inadequate services in the places they have come from, and where they first faced homelessness and the risk of rough sleeping.

Whilst entrenched rough sleepers often have complex needs that require specialist services that can often only be provided where there is a critical mass of demand, many of those who sleep rough for the first time do not. However, sleeping rough is known to be highly detrimental to individuals’ wellbeing, particularly their emotional, mental and physical health and substance dependencies. It is relatively easy for people in vulnerable physical circumstances to develop new difficulties, and for those with existing problems
to have these exacerbated. Over time, the risk of entrenchment increases and people
present a greater cost to the public purse and communities, than if they had received
timely assistance.

Having an effective “prevention offer” for people at risk of sleeping rough does not mean local authorities need to build new and costly hostels or take on additional burdens.

Existing powers under s.192(3) of the Housing Act 1996 enable local authorities to act in a manner to prevent people having to sleep rough at all, or to ensure that those who do sleep rough leave the streets as quickly as possible.

Local authorities have the power to secure that accommodation is made available for applicants who:

are eligible for assistance
are unintentionally homeless

do not have a priority need.

Such accommodation would be secured for a limited time and provided as part of a managed pathway to prevent rough sleeping. The accommodation secured does not need to be from the local authority’s own stock. Although it may use its own accommodation, any tenancies let under these arrangements would not be secure. Other accommodation, such as private rented sector or RSL accommodation may be used.

Local authorities might wish to exercise their powers under s.192(3) for – amongst other relevant groups – people who are verified rough sleepers or who have formally been assessed as being at imminent risk of sleeping rough.

Whilst identifying someone who is a verified rough sleeper (someone seen bedded down by an agreed agency – police, housing options worker, outreach service etc.) is relatively straightforward, an individual needs assessment should be undertaken to assess whether someone is at risk of rough sleeping without an authority exercising its powers.

It is important to include those at risk of rough sleeping in the exercise of s.192(3) powers in order to prevent people sleeping rough at all; and to avoid the creation of a perverse incentive to sleep rough in order to access perceived benefits that are not available to other people at risk of sleeping rough.

In each case, for s.192(3) powers to be used, the individuals will need to meet the three key tests of: eligible for assistance; unintentionally homeless and not having a priority need. These may need to be determined formally through a homelessness decision.

In addition to the formal exercise of s.192(3) powers local authorities may wish to include
in the prevention offer people who may be intentionally homeless. This would be appropriate where the intentionality is linked to support needs such as dependency problems or poor mental health, and where a failure to assist with accommodation and support could result in rough sleeping, street drinking, anti social behaviours or risks to the individual and others.

In some areas, local authorities will have already provided adequate accommodation and support pathways – often in partnership with Supporting People, DAAT and community safety commissioners and with voluntary sector providers. These services – together with suitable housing options, outreach and sign-posting by day centres and other professional services – ensure no one needs to sleep rough in the area.

In other areas, however, there may not be sufficient or suitable emergency accommodation available to meet presenting needs. In some situations the level or frequency of presenting needs does not warrant dedicated provision in the form of emergency access hostels, so other forms of accommodation should be secured to prevent people having to sleep rough.

Using s.192(3) does not mean a local authority is making an offer of permanent
social housing.

The accommodation secured should be made available for sufficient time for someone to have their full needs assessed, and a support plan to be agreed, and for more settled and suitable accommodation to be provided. This more settled accommodation could be in supported housing services or the private rented sector. It will be important to work with partners such as Supporting People commissioners and the DAAT and voluntary sector to ensure people receive the support they need to prevent them losing accommodation and returning to the streets.

3.1Enhanced housing options

Local authorities should use their s.192(3) powers as part of an enhanced housing options service, that includes non statutory households in the range of tools to prevent homelessness and rough sleeping. These tools may include mediation services, rent bond or similar schemes, housing options advice and assistance.

Timely homelessness prevention through housing options services can save local authorities and their communities money and make better use of resources.

For example:
One local authority recognised short comings in its housing options service. Single non statutory people who approached for advice and assistance were being told they were not in priority need for social housing and were advised to return to existing precarious accommodation arrangements. In some situations, these included friend’s floors (sofa surfers) or squats.
The authority noted that in many situations, individuals’ circumstances deteriorated, with increased stress levels, often associated with alcohol or drug use, being asked to leave and resorting to sleeping rough. After some days and weeks these people would be referred back to housing options by the outreach teams, police or local day centres. At this stage, they would be referred into direct access/first stage hostels (costing
some £250 per week, including rent and Supporting People grant) and from there could expect to spend 12 – 24 months in a hostel pathway, before being offered
social housing.
These costs greatly exceeded the alternatives of a rent deposit or bond scheme – even with low level floating support to assist them establish their tenancy.

3.2Accommodation offers

The diagram below indicates the sort of accommodation that local authorities should consider securing under s.192(3) where they do not currently commission adequate accommodation and support pathways to meet presenting needs.

For all the interim accommodation options described below, it will be important to ensure that there is appropriate support available, to ensure the accommodation is maintained and provide the advice and assistance required to help individuals move on to appropriate settled accommodation.

The use of accommodation under s.192(3) powers may also be appropriate where there is an existing emergency hostel or night shelter, but this accommodation is not suitable for the individual. This may be the case where the individual is assessed as being too vulnerable for the specific provision, or has previously been excluded with needs that cannot be met. A “housing first” approach may be appropriate where individuals cannot be suitably accommodated through existing provision and pathways. In this case, self contained or other alternative accommodation should be secured with tailored support packages. Examples of such provision are included below.

s.192(3) support and accommodation pathway

B&B

Where there is no other suitable emergency accommodation available, B&B may be secured for local authorities for a short period of time (usually no more than six weeks). This may be procured directly by the local authority, who may need to negotiate access and support arrangements with local providers. Some local authorities commission outreach services with devolved budgets that enable them to secure emergency B&B accommodation for people who would otherwise be sleeping rough.

A B&B placement enables a needs assessment to be carried out, and other more settled accommodation to be secured. This may be directly into the private rented sector through rent bond or similar schemes, or into a supported housing or hostel scheme.

(Supported) Night stops or lodgings schemes

Many local authorities have established supported lodgings schemes for young people, as an alternative to B&B use for homeless 16/17 year olds. A number of authorities are exploring using similar arrangements to offer interim accommodation for older people who would be at risk of sleeping rough. In many situations, rough sleepers with low needs are happy to consider “flat shares” with resident landlords, and a supported lodging scheme offers additional support to set up these arrangements – on either a short term or potentially long term basis.

Short term lets in leased PRS stock

Local authorities may consider using existing or new units of leased accommodation to offer short term lets to people at risk of rough sleeping. For local authorities with low numbers of applicants at risk of rough sleeping, this level of need can be met by providing a small private rented sector flat or bedsit in this way – linked into appropriate floating support and accessible via agreed referral routes.

Hostels/Temporary accommodation

Local authorities may be able to secure accommodation in their existing hostels (whether directly managed or provided through the voluntary sector) to prevent people sleeping rough. Some authorities have used Homelessness Grant to fund the first few days of a rough sleepers stay, or guarantee to underwrite any losses, where this addresses potential delays arising from people’s lack of current benefit claims or ID.

Some authorities have used their existing Temporary Accommodation for non statutory households where this means they will not have to sleep rough.

Short term lets in LA or RSL stock

Under s.192(3) local authorities may use non secure tenancies in their own stock, although they must have regard to the legitimate expectations of others in housing need under Parts 6 and 7 of the Act. The accommodation used will be on a short term basis, usually whilst someone’s needs are assessed, a support plan put in place, and alternative accommodation (in supported housing or the private rented sector) is arranged.

Partner RSL’s accommodation may also be used in a similar manner. In Exeter, the local authority works in partnership with RSLs to use one bed or bedsit units around the city on a dispersed hostel model. This enables them to meet emergency needs when the existing hostel is full, or when a bed in such shared provision would not be suitable.

Other RSLs have been willing to use bedsit units as “crash pads” linked to existing hostel services, to extend the amount of emergency accommodation available for especially vulnerable or hard to place people who would otherwise sleep rough.

Move on and support: pathways development

The code of guidance notes that housing authorities should not allow non secure tenancies to continue over the long term. Non secure tenancies and other forms of accommodation should be part of a managed programme of accommodation to give the applicant an opportunity to secure a more settled housing solution in due course. The housing authority should assist the individual to secure alternative accommodation.

More settled accommodation should include supported housing services, where these
are necessary to meet the individual’s needs. It may also include accommodation in
the private rented sector. These options should be provided as part of a pathways
approach to enabling people to gain the independent living skills they need to maintain settled accommodation.

In order to commission/have available the appropriate emergency and accommodation pathways, local authorities should consider using the following tools:

Section 4 Self assessment checklist 

Section 4

Self assessment checklist

The self assessment checklist has been designed by CLG to help local housing authorities and their partners review and plan their strategic approach to preventing and tackling rough sleeping. The checklist can assist local authorities to establish how comprehensive their services are and in developing plans to meet the Government’s intent of ending rough sleeping by 2012. The checklist covers seven key areas:

Strategic Approach and Partnerships
Early Intervention Services
Prevention and Emergency Accommodation Services
Contact and Assessment through Outreach
Accommodation and Support Pathways off the streets

Specialist Interventions and Independence Pathways.

It should help local authorities to:

Assess the comprehensiveness of the services they provide
Improve partnership working
Demonstrate to Members and the local community what has been achieved

Highlight opportunities for improving services to rough sleepers and those at risk of rough sleeping.

There is no requirement to complete the self assessment or submit it to CLG but local authorities and their partners can use it to: