Homelessness, prevention and relief – England
On 23 March 2017 the DCLG published statistics, for the period of October to December 2016, on the number of households that reported being homeless (or threatened with homelessness) to their local authority and were offered housing assistance. Local authorities accepted 14,420 households as being statutorily homeless in that period (down 3 per cent on the previous quarter and down 0.4 per cent on the same quarter of last year). These are households that are owed a main homelessness duty to secure accommodation as a result of being unintentionally homeless and in priority need. 75,740 households were in temporary accommodation on 31 December 2016 (up 10 per cent on a year earlier, and up 58 per cent on the low of 48,010 on 31 December 2010). Local authorities took action to prevent and relieve homelessness for 50,970 households between October and December 2016 (down 3 per cent on 52,520 in the same quarter of 2015). For the statistics,
click here
Homelessness – Wales
On 22 March 2017 the Welsh Government published data, for the period of October to December 2016, on the number of households applying to local authorities for housing assistance under the Housing Wales Act 2014 and the number of homeless households in temporary accommodation. 1,965 households were assessed as threatened with homelessness within 56 days and for 1,305 households (66 per cent) homelessness was successfully prevented for at least 6 months. 2,589 households were assessed as being homeless and owed a duty to help secure accommodation during that period. Of these, 1,104 households (43 per cent) were helped to secure accommodation that was likely to last for 6 months, following intervention by the local authority. 480 households were assessed to be unintentionally homeless and in priority need and qualified for the duty to have accommodation secured for them. Of these, 396 (82 per cent) households accepted an offer of permanent accommodation. At the end of December 2016 there were 1,953 households in temporary accommodation. Private sector accommodation was the main form of temporary accommodation used, accounting for 43 per cent of all households in temporary accommodation at the end of December 2016. For the full data,
click here
The Homelessness Monitor 2017 – England
On 22 March 2017 the Joseph Rowntree Foundation and Crisis published
The Homelessness Monitor 2017, their annual report analysing the impact of economic and policy developments on homelessness. According to the report, in 2015/16 there were 271,000 ‘local authority homelessness case actions’ (including informal 'homelessness prevention' and 'homelessness relief' activity, as well as statutory homelessness acceptances) – a rise of 32 per cent since 2009/10. Of 162 of England’s 326 local authorities which responded to the survey, 64 per cent are struggling to find social tenancies for homeless people, while half find it ‘very difficult’ to assist applicants into privately rented accommodation. Councils are finding it particularly difficult to house homeless young people: 85 per cent are having difficulties helping single people aged 25–34 into accommodation, and 94 per cent said they expect greater difficulties in finding accommodation for homeless 25–34 year olds in the next 2–3 years. Loss of a private tenancy accounted for 31 per cent of those accepted as homeless in England. To read the report,
click here For comment by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation,
click here For that by Crisis,
click here For a response from the Local Government Association,
click here
Frontline homelessness services – England
On 27 March 2017 Homelessness Link launched its 2016 survey of frontline homelessness services in England. The research found that there are 35,727 bed spaces available in homelessness accommodation projects, a drop of 2 per cent since 2015. The number of accommodation projects has fallen by 5 per cent to 1,185, while the number of day centres has increased by 3 per cent to 214 since 2015. Although 47 per cent of accommodation projects have experienced decreased funding, they are still supporting people to develop the skills they need to move on. They provide a range of support services, with 93 per cent offering life skills, 90 per cent resettlement support and 87 per cent helping with basic needs. To read the survey,
click here To read a summary,
click here
Homelessness Reduction Bill
On 23 March 2017 the Homelessness Reduction Bill received its Third Reading in the House of Lords. It has now completed all its parliamentary stages and awaits Royal Assent on a date to be set. For more details, see
Housing Laws in the Pipeline. For the response of CIH to the Bill’s passage,
click here
Homelessness services – Local Government Ombudsman’s investigation
On 23 March 2017 the Local Government Ombudsman reported that its investigation had found that a homeless woman was turned away five times by a local authority after she lost her home. Since complaining to the LGO, the woman has received an apology from the council and has been offered temporary accommodation, which she has refused. The LGO also recommended payments to the woman of £300, to her father of £200 and stated that the council should also ensure that in future homelessness applications are taken and decision letters issued in all appropriate cases. For the LGO’s report,
click here
Universal credit and homeless tenants
On 25 March 2017
The Guardian reported that local authorities in London have said that “rent collection levels for homeless tenants placed in emergency accommodation have collapsed following the introduction of the universal credit digital service last year.” Croydon Council, for example, has said that it faces an unpaid £2.5m rent bill. As a consequence ministers are under pressure to exclude homeless people from universal credit. To read the story,
click here
Supported housing funding
On 28 March 2017 the Work and Pensions Committee and the Communities and Local Government Committee questioned ministers and officials from the DWP and DCLG as part of a joint inquiry into the Government's proposed reform of supported housing funding. To view the session,
click here For more information about the scope of the inquiry,
click here
Housing Benefit guidance
On 24 March 2017 the Department for Work and Pensions re-issued Circular HB A3/2017 with revised guidance regarding ‘couples unable to share a bedroom” at paras 16 to 18 and redrafted the corresponding leaflets. The revised circular also seeks to provide clarity to the description of the Regulations in Annex 1 and also two of the examples in Annex 6. For the circular,
click here For other circulars, published at the same time, which provide advice, guidance and information on Housing Benefit to local authority staff and which update the Housing Benefit guidance manual,
click here
Housing association tenants and Right to Buy
On 27 March 2017 the House of Commons Library published a briefing explaining proposals to extend the Right to Buy to assured tenants of housing associations on a voluntary basis. No implementation date for full roll-out has been announced. A large regional pilot scheme is planned for 2017/18. To read the briefing,
click here
Forces Help to Buy scheme
On 23 March 2017 the Ministry of Defence published latest statistics for the Forces Help to Buy scheme for February 2017. 739 First Stage applications (ie those which pass initial eligibility checks) were received; 421 Second Stage applications (ie those which pass detailed eligibility checks) were received; 251 payments were made to Service personnel. Since the Scheme began in April 2014: 21,113 First Stage applications have been received; 12,607 of these applications have proceeded to the Second Stage; payment has been made to around 10,200 applicants, totalling over £154 million, an average of approximately £15,100 per claim. For the full statistics,
click here
Rogue letting agents
On 24 March 2017 Sian Berry, the London Assembly Member, published a report –
Letting them get away with it – concerning enforcement by London councils since new rules on displaying letting fees and membership of deposit and redress schemes were introduced in May 2015. Despite 1,351 complaints made to councils about letting agents, only 444 visits were made by trading standards officers, just 462 warning letters were sent and only 52 final notices were issued. Only four councils – Islington, Camden, Newham and Kensington and Chelsea – have issued any fines to letting agents. Only £66,000 was received in fines and nearly two-thirds of this (£42,000) was taken in by one council – Islington. For more details,
click here
Private housing rental prices
On 21 March 2017 the Office for National Statistics published its Index of Private Housing Rental Prices for February 2017. The latest figures show that: private rental prices paid by tenants in Great Britain rose by 2.1 per cent in the 12 months to February 2017 (this is down from 2.2 per cent in January 2017); in England, private rental prices grew by 2.3 per cent, Wales saw growth of 0.5 per cent while Scotland saw zero growth in the same period; and London private rental prices grew by 1.9% in that period, which is 0.2 percentage points below the Great Britain 12-month growth rate. To access the statistics,
click here
Young first time buyers
On 27 March 2017 the Social Mobility Commission published research which showed that the proportion of first-time buyers relying on inherited wealth or loans from their parents has reached a historic high and the trend looks set to continue. For 25- to 29-year-olds, home ownership has fallen by more than half in the last 25 years from 63 per cent in 1990 to 31 per cent most recently. Over a third of first-time buyers in England (34 per cent) now turn to family for a financial gift or loan to help them buy their home compared to one in five 7 years ago. A further one in ten rely on inherited wealth. For the report,
click here For the press summary,
click here
Dementia-friendly housing charter
On 22 March 2017 Alzheimer’s Society published a dementia-friendly housing charter which seeks to make the housing sector, including housing organisations, corporate bodies and sector professionals, aware of the challenges of living with dementia so that it can improve home environments for people with the condition. The charter is aimed at the full range of professionals working in the housing sector, from planners and architects to landlords and developers, housing managers and handypersons. To download the charter,
click here and follow the link.
Private renting licensing consultation – Brent
On 23 March 2017 Brent Council published the results of its consultation, which took place from September to December 2016, on proposals to extend licensing to all or more parts of the borough. There were more than 1,200 responses and a report will now go to Brent’s Cabinet Meeting later in the Spring. To read the report,
click here
Social housing providers – consent from the regulator
On 27 March 207 the Homes and Communities Agency published guidance as to how and when social housing providers should get consent from the regulator before they undertake certain changes to their organisations. Changes to the consents regime will take effect from 6 April 2017. For guidance, directions and associated forms,
click here
HCA regulator of social housing – innovation plan
On 27 March 2017 the Homes and Communities Agency published a plan showing how the regulator of social housing is ensuring its approach to regulation supports innovation and disruptive business models, and how regulators are using innovation to deliver their own work more effectively. To read the plan,
click here
Private landlords and council tax
The Supreme Court has refused permission for Leeds City Council to appeal from the Court of Appeal’s judgment in favour of the landlords in
Leeds City Council v Broadley [2016] EWCA Civ 1213. The case concerned whether the landlords or tenants should be responsible for paying the council tax on a property after the tenant moved out, but a contractual periodic tenancy agreement was still in place. For the Court of Appeal judgment,
click here For coverage by the Residential Landlords Association,
click here