Homelessness Strategy 2015-2018 - Resident

Homelessness Strategy
2015-2018

CONTENTS Page

Content 3
4
Foreword 4
1. Introduction 5
2. Homeless Review 6
3. Consultation 7
4. Aims & Objectives 8
Strategic Objective 1 – Prevention & Early Intervention 9
Strategic Objective 2 – Advice, Decision Making and Support 10
Strategic Objective 3 – Long Term Housing Options 13
5. Resources 14
6. Monitoring and Review 16
Appendix A - Homelessness Strategy 2012-2015 – Progress
Appendix B – Solihull’s Multi-Agency Homelessness Forum

2|Page

FOREWORD

This is Solihull’s fifth Homelessness Strategy. It has been developed at a time of
significant change in public policy, continued reductions in public expenditure and
increased pressure on local services.

Over the past three years homelessness in Solihull has been increasing at
significantly higher levels than the regional and national averages. This is a result
of a combination of supply and demand factors which are discussed further in the
Homelessness Review that accompanies this strategy.

The experience of homelessness can have negative impacts across all areas of a
person’s life, affecting physical and mental health and well-being, educational
achievement, ability to gain and sustain employment and putting pressure on
personal relationships.

It is therefore the main aim of this Strategy to prevent homelessness, working Councillor Robert Hulland
across the Council and wider partners to identify households at risk of Cabinet Member for
homelessness and promote early intervention wherever possible. This benefits Environment & Housing
residents in that it deals with issues quickly and before a crisis develops, and for
the Council and partner services it avoids costlier interventions further down the
line.

However where homelessness cannot be prevented the strategy aims to ensure that a quality response is available
ie an accessible service with tailored housing options and support to meet the temporary and permanent
accommodation and wider support needs of homeless households.

The Council is committed to achieving the ‘Gold Standard’ for our homelessness and housing advice services. Having
passed the first stage of this service improvement challenge with our peer review last Summer, the Strategy will
focus on implementing the actions required to pass all 10 of the local service challenges during 2015/16.

The Strategy also shows how Solihull will respond to the five priorities set out in Homeless Link’s recently published
Manifesto to End Homelessness, ‘Let’s Make the Difference’. We will tackle rough sleeping, ensuring appropriate
financial and employment support is in place to vulnerable people, alongside a wider variety of housing options to
prevent and relieve homelessness, supporting those with complex needs, with a clear Homelessness Strategy
supported by investment to deliver it.

Given the clear impacts homelessness has on individuals and our communities, delivery of the Homelessness
Strategy will makes an important contribution to two of the Council’s four main priorities; Health, well-being and
quality of Life and Strong, Vibrant Communities.

Delivery will involve the whole Council, working with the community and other statutory and voluntary sector
partners. A ‘Lives not Services’ approach is required, focusing on interactions with people that address issues as they
see them, enabling personalised solutions to their needs.

In this way the Strategy will play a central role in delivering the Council’s vision and purpose. By preventing
homelessness and ensuring a quality service is available to those who do become homeless we will be improving
lives and supporting the vision that Solihull in 2018 will be a place where everyone has an equal chance to be
healthier, happier, safer and prosperous. I look forward to working with our partners over the next three years to
realise this vision.

3|Page

1. Introduction
The Homelessness Act 2002 placed a legal obligation on all Local Housing Authorities to carry out a review of
homelessness in their areas and to develop a strategy for tackling and preventing it at least every 5 years.
This is Solihull’s fifth Homelessness Strategy and it builds on the progress made through the 2012 – 2015 strategy
(see Appendix A for a summary of progress made since 2012). At the same time it recognises the changing national
and local context which has brought increased levels of demand and a challenging financial environment.
Homelessness administration is a statutory function. In Solihull homelessness and housing advice services are
carried out on the Council’s behalf by Solihull Community Housing (SCH) under a service level agreement (SLA) whilst
the strategic function is retained by the Council.
In 2014 Solihull also passed the first stage in achieving the Gold Standard in Homelessness. The Gold Standard is a
cross-government supported service improvement challenge aiming to encourage Local Authorities to develop and
improve their homelessness and housing advice services.
The first stage of the challenge is a peer review which Local Authorities must get 60% or above on in order to
progress to the second stage which involves demonstrating good practice in service delivery across 10 gold standard
challenge areas (ranging from partnership working and corporate commitment to youth homelessness and
temporary accommodation).
The peer review of Solihull took place in July 14 and resulted in a score of 69%. Since then the Council and SCH have
been responding to the recommendations raised through the peer review and working towards completion of the 10
challenges. 1 application concerning response to rough sleepers was submitted in October 14 and the remaining
applications will be submitted in stages during 2015. The detailed criteria for each of the challenge areas will be
closely linked to the objectives and actions of this Strategy and action plan.
2. Homelessness Review
During 2014 the Council and SCH have worked together to review current and likely future levels of homelessness, to
assess the range of services available to homeless and potentially homeless households in Solihull and the resources
available to provide them and to identify gaps in local provision. A separate review document is available which
summarises this information.
The review has included detailed consultation with partner organisations, update of the Homelessness Services
Directory and the work with 3 neighbouring Local Authority areas to carry out the Diagnostic Peer Review of the
Council’s Homelessness and Housing Options Service under the Government’s Homelessness Gold Standard
Programme.

4|Page

3. Consultation

A wide range of organisations with an interest in homelessness, housing need and wider support issues are
represented on the multi-agency homelessness forum (MAHF) which meets quarterly. As part of this forum partners
work together to consider delivery of the homelessness strategy and action plan and to identify local issues, areas of
need and gaps in service provision. Further detail about the remit and membership of MAHF is set out at Appendix
B.

To build on these regular multi-agency monitoring arrangements, the Council convened a training and information
event in July 2014. The event, ‘More than a roof’, was attended by 78 people from 18 organisations and provided
valuable insights on a range of issues associated with homelessness, including accessing health services, preventing
domestic violence and the resettlement of offenders. Attendees at the event were also asked as part of two ‘think
tank’ sessions what the issues and pressures were from the perspective of their service / service users, what they felt
the top priorities for the updated homelessness strategy should be, what actions were required to contribute to
achieving these priorities and the role for their service and wider partners in delivering the homelessness strategy.

There was widespread consensus from the think tank sessions that the main priority areas for the updated
Homelessness Strategy should be:

• Supply of affordable and appropriate long term and temporary accommodation to match needs in the Borough
(Strategic Objectives 2 and 3)

• Improved joint working across agencies and referral routes: an integrated multi-agency approach (Strategic Objectives
1 and 2)

• Better engagement with and access to the Private Rented Sector (Strategic Objectives 2 and 3)
• Accommodation and support for young homeless people (Strategic Objectives 2 and 3)
• Provision of services for single homeless people and those with complex needs (Strategic Objectives 1 and 2)

These issues have been fully captured through the updated Strategic Objectives set out on pages 7 – 9 (the relevant
objectives are set out in brackets after each of the main points above).

To take forward the specific issues raised by partners at the ‘More than a Roof’ event about the need for improved
joint working and to look at having a more integrated multi-agency approach a follow up session was held with the
Multi-Agency Homelessness Forum in September 14. The forum was attended by 50 people representing 20
organisations / services and detailed discussions around customer pathways took place on the following 6 subjects:
Domestic Abuse, Substance Misuse, Rough Sleepers / Single Non Priority Customers, Mental Health, Physical Health
and Ex-Offenders. The results from this event will help the Housing Team and SCH put together customer pathways
and strengthen partnership working with some of the key lead agencies, actions which are identified as priorities in
this Strategy.

At the same time separate consultation has been carried out with Children’s Services in order to scope current
arrangements and discuss the possibility for the integration of services to deliver a positive accommodation and
support pathway for young people aged 16 – 24. A multi-agency session facilitated by the national Youth
Homelessness Advisor was held in July with operational leads and frontline workers.

Consensus from all discussion to date is that a coherent Council-wide accommodation and support strategy is
required to provide a universal service to young homeless people aged 16 – 24 and to oversee early intervention and
prevention strategies pre-16. A scoping paper is in development to identify what changes will need to take place to
deliver an integrated pathway model. The Youth Accommodation Pathway is identified as a key action within the
strategy for 2015/16.

5|Page

4. Aims & Objectives
Solihull’s Homelessness Strategy retains the overall aim of:

Preventing homelessness in Solihull and ensuring a quality response to those who do become homeless
In order to do this the strategy acts as a focus to respond to emerging trends and issues and co-ordinate local
responses to those people in Solihull who are threatened with or experience homelessness.
The following table sets out the overarching aims of the Homelessness Strategy.

Aim Offer Link to Strategic
Objective
To prevent homelessness, or Provide advice / assistance, including money advice mediate / 1 – Prevention &
at least delay it negotiate with landlords and family / friends & bring in help from Early intervention
specialist agencies (e.g. Women’s Aid) (page 7)
To ensure that those in Applicants to source suitable accommodation where they can / SCH 2 – Advice, Decision
priority need or potentially provide / source temp accommodation where required / Enhanced Making & Support
vulnerable have somewhere service to those at risk during severe weather (page 8)
to stay
Secure suitable homes for Council, housing association or private let / Referrals to specialist 3 – Long Term
those to whom we owe the accommodation / support, e.g. women’s refuge Housing Options
full duty (page 9)
To support early intervention Schools ‘homelessness awareness’ module 1 - Prevention &
by the Council / partners Assistance to 16/17yr olds, care leavers and looked – after children Early intervention
Page 7)
To support the Council’s Proactive response to rehousing requirements 1, 2 & 3 (pages 7 – 9)
Safeguarding responsibilities Early help including rehousing for those subject to Domestic Abuse
for children and adults 1 & 2 (pages 7 & 8)
To support the Council’s (Re) connection of people to health/other support services
health and wellbeing priorities 3 (page 9)
To support the Council’s Meeting local housing needs
stronger communities Promoting neighbourhood stability 1 (page 7)
priorities
To deliver value Funding spent on preventing homelessness / supporting vulnerable
people saves greater outlay later

In order to achieve the above aims the strategy prioritises action in relation to 3 key objectives which are set out on
the following pages (pages 7-9). The table above indicates which of the Strategic Objective s will deliver the
associated aims and outcomes.

Under each objective the headline actions for 2015/16 are set-out. More detailed responses which include actions to
deliver the above aims and offer and the actions / issues to carry forward set out in Appendix A will be developed
into an action plan which will be agreed with partners. The action plan will include clear timescales, milestones and
targets and will identify lead officers as well as any funding implications for each action. The action plan will be
agreed in February / March with delivery taking place from April 2015 to March 2016.

Each year, as part of the annual review of the strategy, progress against the action plan will be reviewed and a
revised set of targets for the coming 12 month financial year will be agreed. The overall objectives will remain in
place for the 3 year period from 2015 to 2018 (to cover the financial years 15/16, 16/17 and 17/18) when a further
review will be carried out.

6|Page

STRATEGIC OBJECTIVE 1 – PREVENTION & EARLY INTERVENTION

Relevant Gold Standard Challenges:
1 – Corporate commitment to prevent homelessness
2 – Active partnership working
7 – Actively work to prevent mortgage repossessions
8 – Homelessness Strategy with a proactive approach to homelessness prevention

Outcomes:
 Early identification of vulnerable people / households at risk of homelessness, including an emphasis on those affected by

Welfare Reform (particularly the implementation of Universal Credit over the lifetime of this strategy)
 Effective and targeted partnership working to enable early intervention and prevention before crisis
 Appropriate information & advice supported by a variety of prevention options
 Wider housing options support (including self-help)

Successfully delivering this priority will involve work to sustain and further develop homelessness prevention and
housing options in Solihull, with a focus on vulnerable and at risk client groups (including non-statutory homeless
households), providing the right level of support at the most appropriate time, working with households to explore
the options available to them and offering targeted support to vulnerable people to prevent homelessness and avoid
repeat homelessness.

Ensuring that these interventions are effective will be key to preventing homelessness and reducing demand on the
frontline service and provision of temporary accommodation. In terms of early intervention the role of partner
organisations continues to be crucial in providing the right support at the right time to ensure that underlying issues
and risk factors are addressed and that households at risk identified as early as possible so that the relevant services
can intervene and homelessness can be prevented.

During 2015/16 there will be a review of prevention options with activity and funding prioritised according to the
methods that are most effective in tackling the main reasons for homelessness presentations and that have a
positive impact on the most vulnerable groups. In particular there will be a focus on home visits and mediation to
target parental eviction, a package of measures providing support to households at risk of mortgage repossession,
with a focus on the impacts of any interest rate rises in 2015/16, and those affected by the continued
implementation of Welfare Reform ,supporting homeless and potentially homeless households to address
education, employment and training needs and further work in relation to domestic abuse and the role of the
private rented sector (PRS) in homelessness prevention.

It will also be a priority to develop and implement a baseline offer for single homeless people who the Council do not
have a duty to re-house. There have been a number of positive service developments in this area but more action is
required in order to address the lack of accommodation options for this group. The action plan will prioritise work to
review the way advice and assistance is offered to non-statutory homeless households and work with partners to
develop suitable housing options for this group. This will work to improve access to the PRS and pilot new
approaches to assisting those under the age of 35 (e.g. the development of shared accommodation options and pilot
of the sub-regional Housing First model pilot).

Main Actions for 2015/16:
 Review prevention options and implement initiatives targeted on the main reasons for homelessness (including a continued

focus on timely debt advice and early identification of those affected by Welfare Reform)
 Implement baseline offer for non-priority single homeless customers

7|Page

 Build on existing partnership work to agree effective early identification and referral mechanisms and to focus joint
resources on relieving homelessness

STRATEGIC OBJECTIVE 2 – ADVICE, DECISION MAKING AND SUPPORT

Relevant Gold Standard Challenges:
3 – Housing options / prevention service
4 – No second night out (Rough Sleeping)
5 – Housing pathways for vulnerable client groups
6 – Private rented sector offer
9 – Preventing youth homelessness
10 – Temporary accommodation

Outcomes:
 Accessible Service (with 24/7 access and effective out of hours arrangements)
 Right decisions on all applications
 Targeted customer pathways for vulnerable groups with the right support and assistance to meet customer needs
 Referral arrangements in place with local partners to meet wider support needs identified
 Integrated multi-agency approach to identify and respond to homeless customers / those at risk of homelessness
 All vulnerable households placed in appropriate temporary accommodation (self or SCH sourced) with support options

available to those with wider needs

The Council and SCH will review the way the housing options service is delivered with a specific focus on the quality
of advice, assistance and decision making. There is an undertaking that all customers will receive a baseline
threshold of service that is confirmed to them in writing. There will also be a review of the out of hour’s service and
the links this has with the operation of Solihull’s Rough Sleeper Protocol.

Within this priority there will be a strong focus on working with a wide range of partner organisations to ensure all
vulnerable people have access to on-going advice and support to meet their needs. In particular there will be a
continuation of the joint work that started with the September 14 consultation event to agree multi-agency
accommodation pathways for specific vulnerable client groups. A similar pathway will be developed for young
people aged 16 – 24. This will prioritise earlier intervention, targeted advice, support and education, homelessness
prevention to avoid crisis wherever possible and the further development of a multi-agency response to meeting the
variety of needs that vulnerable people present with. This area of work will be supported by the additional
government funding received to deliver projects under the Fair Chance Fund and Single Homelessness Fund in
Solihull.

In terms of temporary accommodation the aim of this strategy will be for SCH to have a range of TA options of a size
and variety which is sufficient to meet the likely level of need in the Borough. Some limited use of reasonable quality
hotel accommodation, preferably within Solihull, may need to be used to meet short-term fluctuations in demand.
Further work will also be carried out to ensure that appropriate support from SCH and partner organisations is in
place for any household placed in TA throughout the duration of their stay.

Main Actions for 2015/16:
 Development of accommodation and support pathway for all homeless 16 – 24 year olds (including review of existing

arrangements re: joint protocol for 16/17 year olds and care leaver protocol)
 Development and sign-off of customer pathways for vulnerable adults (victims of domestic abuse, people with physical and

mental health needs, people with drug and alcohol support needs, ex-offenders and single homeless)
 Delivery of Fair Chance Fund for single homeless people aged 18 – 24 not owed the statutory homeless duty
 Delivery of Housing First Pilot for single people aged 25+ with complex support needs (utilising Single Homeless Funding)
 Review of Out of Hours policy and emergency provision for rough sleepers (Delivery of No Second Night Out)
 Enlarge Temporary Accommodation Portfolio (to include sufficient number and variety of in-Borough options)

8|Page

 Review provision of support to vulnerable households in TA.

STRATEGIC OBJECTIVE 3 – LONG TERM HOUSING OPTIONS

Relevant Gold Standard Challenges:
5 – Housing pathways for vulnerable client groups
6 – Private rented sector offer
9 – Youth homelessness

Outcomes:
 Meet statutory duty
 Provide a range of housing options to assist in the prevention of homelessness and discharge of the statutory duty
 On-going support options identified to support vulnerable customers

Given the pressures on Solihull’s housing market it will be important to make the best use of existing stock and
explore alternative options, particularly within the private rented sector, as well as enabling the provision of new
affordable accommodation options for those that are unable to access market housing.

In addition to the targets for enabling the provision of new homes to meet local needs and support the managed
growth of Solihull set out in Solihull’s Local Plan, the Council and partners are working on a number of initiatives to
ensure the most effective use of existing stock and to tackle under-occupation and overcrowding. This includes:

 the delivery of an empty homes strategy which directs work with home owners to bring private sector
empty homes back into use

 the operation of a movement incentive scheme for Council owned stock
 implementation of the Council’s revised allocations policy (and within this the move-on policy with

supported housing providers and PRS discharge policy for homeless people) to ensure an appropriate
balance between support for tenants and the best use of the Council’s housing stock
 the delivery of the Independent Living and Extra Care Housing Strategy to ensure that people are supported
to live independently in their existing homes for as long as possible.

The strategy action plan will continue to monitor and feed into these key areas of development.

The increase in the size of the PRS in Solihull, albeit it at a smaller rate than the national average, presents both a
challenge and an opportunity for the Council in tackling homelessness. The challenge will be to ensure that
standards of accommodation in the PRS are maintained and that we find ways to prevent people becoming
homeless from this potentially less secure tenure. However, there are also opportunities in preventing
homelessness through improving access to the PRS, using leasing in the PRS and offering suitable PRS properties to
homeless households to discharge homelessness duty. In each area of engagement with the PRS the Council and
SCH will ensure that joint working only takes place with trustworthy landlords who provide suitable and safe
properties for homeless households. SCH will be doing further work during 2015/16 to launch an ‘offer’ to landlords
and bring forward more properties to support the aforementioned priorities.

There will be links to the previous 2 priorities in terms of piloting new housing options for specific groups e.g. young
people (shared accommodation and Fair Chance Fund) and single people with complex needs (Housing First pilot),
developing accommodation and support pathways for young people and vulnerable adults and prioritising
prevention, housing options and targeted support for vulnerable customers.

Main Actions for 2015/16:
 Delivery of private sector discharge policy for homeless households
 Improve engagement with and access to the private rented sector
 Implementation of the Council’s allocations policy

9|Page

 Pilot shared accommodation model for young single people

5. Resources

The provision of homelessness services and the implementation of the Homelessness Strategy are primarily funded
by:

a) Council General Fund, paid to SCH under a service level agreement that is reviewed annually
b) Central Government Homelessness Grant, paid through the area based ‘Local Services Support Grant’
c) Housing Revenue Account
d) The provision of Central Government Grant on an ad hoc basis to help LA’s in the prevention and management

of homelessness (for 2015/16 this includes funding to deliver Fair Chance Fund and Single Homelessness Services
in Solihull)

The resource envelope for 2013/14 and 2014/15 utilising the above funding sources was informed by a detailed
review of the administration of the homelessness and housing advice service. As a result of this review SCH launched
a new service model for the delivery of the housing options advice and homelessness service in August 2013 with
funding focused on an improved customer pathway and the provision of support to all homeless households,
including non-statutory homeless households.

In 2015/16 the Homelessness and Housing Advice service will be funded by:

 £424,690 paid to SCH from the Council’s General Fund
 £172,790 in Central Government Homelessness Grant of which £175,500 will be paid to SCH through the

Councils revenue support grant award
 A contribution from the Housing Revenue Account which is to be confirmed (estimated to be in the region of

£250,000)

The Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) have confirmed the Preventing Homelessness Grant
allocation for the next financial year, beginning April 2015, as detailed above. However it should be stated that
beyond this it is uncertain whether the grant will continue.

The Council has also identified an additional £128,500 in revenue funding which will be held by the Council and used
to support the implementation of the Homelessness Strategy. This will enable the funding of the following
homelessness initiatives to support delivery of the strategy:

 continuation of the supported lodgings scheme to 31.03.16
 commissioning a mediation service for young people being asked to leave the family home
 the roll-out of the homelessness education programme during 2015 and 2016 (up to the end of December

2016)
 continuation of a rough sleeper out-reach service which is currently funded by sub-regional prevention

funding allocated by Central Government
 support for private landlord initiatives
 support for the development of additional temporary accommodation options and support for households

placed in temporary accommodation

10 | P a g e

The strategy’s primary focus on early intervention and prevention aims not only to improve outcomes for customers
by identifying their needs, putting support in place early and assisting them to avoid crisis but also to ensure the
most cost effective use of funding. It is hoped that investment of the above funding sources to provide a timely and
responsive housing options and homelessness service to all homeless households will ensure that help is provided as
early as possible to assist households to either remain in their existing accommodation or make a planned move to
alternative provision.

The strategy prioritises the investment in sustaining and further developing homelessness prevention and housing
options initiatives in order to reduce the use of costly temporary accommodation and allow the continued use of
funds to improve outcomes for individuals wherever possible. The Council will focus resources on the methods of
prevention that are most effective in the emerging local context and maintain this investment by identifying
preventative measures that offer value for money.

The Council has played an active role in obtaining additional funding from DCLG through competitive bidding. Most
recently Solihull has been involved in 2 successful sub-regional bids for the Fair Chance Fund and Single
Homelessness Programmes:

 Seven projects were awarded a share of up to £15 million Fair Chance Funding over 3 years from January
2015. The fund aims to improve accommodation and work outcomes for a group of young homeless people
aged 18 – 24 whose needs are difficult to address with existing services and who would not meet the
threshold for statutory service intervention. Solihull supported St. Basil’s in their bid for funding to deliver
services across Birmingham, Coventry, Solihull, Walsall and Wyre Forest. St. Basil’s will be aiming to help
over 300 young people across these areas and 80+ of these referrals will be from Solihull.

 34 projects have been awarded a share of the £8 million Single Homelessness Funding for delivery in the
remainder of 2014/15 and 2015/16. The key aim of the fund is to encourage local authorities to work with
local partners (public health, voluntary sector organisations, probation service etc.) to provide a stronger
single homeless offer and to prevent single homelessness. The focus of the funding is on those people who
are homeless but not owed the full homelessness duty.

Solihull is involved in a wider sub-regional bid that will also cover Birmingham, Coventry, Dudley, Sandwell,
Walsall, Wolverhampton and Stratford-Upon-Avon. The aim of the bid which will receive £250,000 from
DCLG and a further £250,000 in sub-regional prevention and public health funding, is to pilot a housing first
model providing accommodation with intensive support for vulnerable adults with complex needs who have
been, or are at risk of, multiple exclusions. This will supplement the Fair Chance Fund service, providing
similar support to those aged 25 and over with multiple needs (mental health, substance misuse etc.).

In addition to the above the Council is actively involved in the sub-regional preventing homelessness clusters which
received funding allocations from DCLG in 2011 and 2012 to address and prevent single homelessness and rough
sleeping. Solihull has worked with partner authorities to develop a service providing outreach and personalisation
support to rough sleepers. The group were successful in being allocated Homelessness Transition Funding, of
£170,940 which was then match funded by the regional allocation. This enabled the joint commissioning of flexible
support to new and entrenched rough sleepers across the West Midlands, moving them from the streets quickly and
offering on-going support as required.

Solihull has benefited from the additional services offered through this sub-regional work and during 2015/16 will be
working with partners to agree an exit strategy for the rough sleeper outreach service. In addition the Council and
SCH are also currently involved in a number of initiatives that will improve the housing options and support available
11 | P a g e

to homeless households in the Borough (e.g. piloting of shared accommodation options in social housing, the launch
of a regional website to help people search for housing options in the private rented sector and a funding bid to
enable extended support for households placed in temporary accommodation).

In addition to direct funding for homelessness the Council and SCH work pro-actively with partner services and
organisations to ensure that other funding sources can be used to support homeless households. A range of partners
provide housing advice and support services to people who are homeless or threatened with homelessness in
Solihull, for example Citizens Advice Solihull Borough, Age UK, Solihull Churches Action on Homelessness, Solihull
Integrated Addiction Services. A full list of partner services is set out in Solihull’s Homelessness Directory which has
been updated as part of the Homelessness Review.

SCH work closely with:

 the Income & Awards team to ensure the targeted and effective use of Discretionary Housing Payments
(DHP) for homeless households

 Children’s services through the Joint Protocol for Homeless 16 & 17 year olds where financial and other
support under section 17 of the Children Act (1989) can be used to enable a young person to continue to
live in the family home

 Providers of accommodation and floating support for homeless and vulnerable people to ensure that
supported accommodation options are effectively allocated to those households in need and that floating
support can be used to prevent homelessness from occurring and prevent repeat homelessness where a
vulnerable person is moving on into their own independent accommodation.

The support services provided through the Supporting People Programme to a number of vulnerable groups
(including victims of domestic abuse, ex-offenders, young homeless people, people with mental health needs and
older people) makes an important contribution to meeting the housing needs of vulnerable people. Services funded
under this programme have seen significant cuts since 2012/13 (including savings targets up to 2017 there will have
been a 24.7% cut to the supporting people budget from £3,400,000 million in 2012/13 to £2,558,000 by April 2017).

There is therefore a need to source new ways of funding for some of these important homelessness services and to
work more closely with partners to ensure that available resources are being used for those customers in most need.
Further work will be carried out with providers of accommodation and support to vulnerable groups who are
homeless or at risk of homelessness as part of the development of accommodation and support pathways discussed
in earlier parts of the strategy.

This strategy has identified a number of opportunities to improve on this joint working and where appropriate this
might lead to more joint commissioning of services to ensure improved outcomes for specific client groups.

6. Monitoring & Review

Delivery of the strategic objectives set out in this strategy will only be achieved through coordinated action both
within the Council and SCH and across the wide range of partner agencies and community and voluntary groups that
make up MAHF (see Appendix B). The action plan will be monitored and updated quarterly by MAHF, and
appropriate sub groups, who will also be responsible for ensuring the actions and outcomes contained in the action
plan are implemented.

Success in delivering the Homelessness Strategy will be measured against a number of key headline measures:

12 | P a g e

 Success in passing the Gold Standard Challenges
 Number of housing options interviews carried out (with households who are homeless or threatened with

homelessness)
 Number of cases of homelessness prevented or relieved
 Number of homeless presentations
 Number of homeless acceptances
 Number of 16 & 17 year olds accepted as homeless
 Number of 16 & 17 year olds assisted to return home / move in a planned way (prevention)
 Number of joint assessments carried out to assess the needs of homeless16 & 17 year olds
 Number of people sleeping rough in Solihull (for annual rough sleeper count)
 Number of households in temporary accommodation
 Of those in temporary accommodation, number of households in bed and breakfast accommodation
 Of those in bed and breakfast, number with dependent children with stays of longer than 6 weeks
 Total length of stay in temporary accommodation
 Proportion of homelessness decisions upheld on review
 Total social lettings
 Proportion of total social lettings to homeless households
 Number of households in housing need on the housing register at the end of the financial year
In addition an annual review of the Homelessness Strategy will be carried out, to consider the progress made during
the year and to set the priorities for the forthcoming financial year. The outcome of the review will be reported to
MAHF along with a detailed action plan for the coming 12 months. The annual review will take place between
January and March each year with an action plan for the forthcoming financial year approved at Februarys MAHF
meeting.

13 | P a g e

Appendix A

Homelessness Strategy 2012-2015 – Progress

The tables below detail the headline achievements that have been made since 2012 under each of the 5 main
objectives that were identified. The tables also highlight the key issues and actions that will remain a priority for the
updated strategy and action plan.

Objective 1 – Homelessness Prevention, Advice & Assistance & Support to Vulnerable People

Achievements Actions / Issues to Carry Forward

• 784 homeless preventions between April 12 & • Continual review of homeless service and resources

September 14 available

• 35 households kept in their property through the • Review offer to households at risk of repossession

mortgage rescue scheme (following closure of Mortgage Rescue Scheme)

• Launch of rough sleeper outreach service (NSNO) • Commission a mediation service to prevent eviction

• Multi-agency rough sleeper protocol in place and from family home

reviewed annually • Further development of ‘offer’ to prevent rough

• Housing options self-help tool launched to enable sleeping for single homeless people and

customers in lower level housing need to access commissioning on-going rough sleeper outreach

information and develop individual action plans • Review and enhance support for vulnerable

• Review of offer to single non priority customers households placed in Temporary Accommodation

completed & new service model launched (Aug 13)

Objective 2 – Welfare Reform / Financial Support

Achievements Actions / Issues to Carry Forward

• Successful joint working with the Council’s In • Further work with Income & Awards to support the

• come and Awards Team: shared aims of homelessness prevention and

- to support homelessness prevention through support to vulnerable residents.

the Discretionary Housing Payments Policy • Development of joint working arrangements

and Local Welfare Provision between the Homelessness and Housing Advice

- to joint funding a ‘Financial Support Officer’ Team and Employment Team to support vulnerable

• SCH put in place a Welfare Reform Team to support people to access employment, education and

tenants impacted by Welfare Reform changes training

• Money advisors part of the revised homelessness • Roll-out of universal credit

and housing advice frontline structure from August

13 (with additional capacity within the team).

Objective 3 – Youth Homelessness: Prevention & Range of Suitable Housing Options

Achievements • Actions / Issues to Carry Forward

• Successful pilot of supported lodgings for homeless • Work with partners to develop an integrated youth
16 – 21 year olds & service now in place to 31.03.16 • accommodation and support pathway for young
people aged 16 – 24 who are homeless / at risk of
• Homelessness education programme developed homelessness (this will include a further review of
and being delivered in schools; delivery programme arrangements with children’s Services for homeless
in place up to end of 2016 16 & 17 year olds and care leavers)
Roll out of homelessness education programme
• Redevelopment of supported accommodation Work with St. Basil’s to deliver Fair Chance Fund;
scheme for homeless young people (Mildenhall referral of at least 80 homeless young people from
House) with increased capacity Solihull for specialist support with accessing
accommodation and employment, education or
• Reviewed joint protocol for homeless 16 & 17 year
olds signed off by Safeguarding Children’s Board

• Part of one of 7 successful projects awarded

14 | P a g e

government funding to deliver the ‘Fair Chance training.

Fund Programme’ to young homeless people.

Objective 4 – Supply of Accommodation: Facilitate the Supply of Temporary & Longer-Term Housing Options

(Including additional support for vulnerable people)

Achievements Actions / Issues to Carry Forward

• Approval & implementation of new Housing • Further development of the PRS / engagement with

Allocations Scheme (including revised move-on private landlords to provide:

policy from supported accommodation) and policy - Temporary accommodation for homeless

for discharging Homelessness Duty into the Private households (through PSL)

Rented Sector (PRS) - Suitable properties with tenancies of 12

• Expansion of the Private Sector Leasing (PSL) months + to discharge Homelessness Duty

Scheme, providing 9 additional units of TA + 1 - PRS options to support in homelessness

HMO (providing 10 beds with en-suite facilities) prevention

• Increase in number and range of in-Borough • Development of a purpose built Temporary

temporary accommodation options Accommodation scheme in Solihull

• Redevelopment of supported accommodation • Launch shared tenancy pilot

scheme for ex-offenders / those at risk of offending • Development of multi-agency accommodation and

(Dormer & Harris House) support pathways for vulnerable groups

• Use of regional homelessness prevention funding • Delivery of Empty Homes Strategy

to develop a pilot shared tenancy scheme for young

people with low to medium support needs

Objective 5 – Customer Access: Improving Services to Customers

Achievements Actions / Issues to Carry Forward

• Review of SCH Homelessness & Housing Advice • Review customer information and customer
Service complete and new service model launched feedback / satisfaction measures

• Training events and partner briefings on key • Continue to deliver training and briefing to partner
aspects of the homelessness service delivered services / organisations – agreed protocols in place
for joint working with key services with regular
• Support for hospital discharge project supporting review and monitoring arrangements in place
homeless people across hospitals in Birmingham,
Sandwell and Solihull

15 | P a g e

APPENDIX B

Solihull’s Multi- Agency Homelessness Forum (MAHF)

MAHF meets quarterly (February, May, September & December) and includes within its remit the following key
activities:

 Monitoring progress against individual actions within the action plan & forming smaller working groups to
deliver actions where necessary

 Reviewing the overall progress being made in tackling homelessness locally and identifying newly emerging
issues

 Reviewing the strategy and action plan where necessary to take account of changing circumstances at the local,
regional and national level

 Working with other strategic groups / partnerships where they have a role to play in delivering / addressing key
objectives in the strategy

 Reviewing the resources available to deliver the action plan and identifying funding opportunities or working
together to pool resources to deliver outcomes for customers

The following organisations are members of MAHF and regularly contribute to meetings / consultations:

 SMBC (Income & Awards, Adult Social Care, Children’s Services, Physical, Mental and Public Health,
Neighbourhood Services, Economic Development and Regeneration and Planning & Commissioning)

 Solihull Community Housing
 DWP
 West Midlands Police
 Solihull Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG)
 Registered Accommodation Providers
 Voluntary & Community Sector (Supporting People Providers, CAB, Solihull Sustain, Solihull Churches Action on

Homelessness, Changes UK, Solihull Integrated Addiction Services)
 Providers of accommodation and support / advice services (Home Group, Bromford Housing Association, St

Basil’s, West Mercia Housing, Fry Housing, Harden Housing Association)
 Citizens Advice Bureau, Solihull Borough
 Birmingham & Solihull Women’s Aid
 Midland Heart (current providers of the rough sleeper outreach service)
 National Probation Service
 Staffordshire and West Midlands Community Rehabilitation Company (CRC)
 West Midlands Fire Service

16 | P a g e