You are viewing 1 of your 1 free articles
Understanding the reality homeless people experience
With homelessness figures increasing in Scotland, the issue is a priority for the Scottish Housing Regulator, writes Michael Cameron
Last year, recorded homelessness increased in Scotland for the first time in nine years.
Nearly 35,000 people applied to councils for help because they were homeless, according to official figures, and nearly 44,000 approached councils for housing options advice.
These numbers are important, and show the scale of the challenge the Scottish Government has set itself and its partners with its aim to end homelessness altogether.
Beyond the headlines of the numbers, it’s essential that all of us involved in helping people who are homeless understand the reality they experience.
That understanding will help to identify how we make solutions effective and how we minimise some of the negative impacts for people while they are without a home.
“Beyond the headlines, it’s essential that all of us involved in helping people who are homeless understand the reality.”
The Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Action Group, established by the Scottish Government, has done a lot of work to engage people with experience of homelessness.
This has helped the group to form the recommendations it has made to the Scottish Government.
We recently published new research exploring what makes a difference to a person’s journey through the system when they need to get help because they are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless.
The research gives us an insight into the experiences of people who have used local authorities’ homelessness services.
This is a key part of the feedback we get from our national panel of more than 400 tenants and service users.
The findings on homelessness are based on individual interviews with almost 50 people with current or recent experience of homelessness services, including care-experienced young people, from seven local authority areas.
READ MORE
The research highlights the importance of getting clear information to people about what they can expect when they apply to councils for help.
We also found that having previously used homelessness services has a significant impact on individuals’ experiences.
The research identifies the challenges for people in adjusting to temporary accommodation and the importance of the role of practical and emotional support from those taking people through the application for help with homelessness.
The value of the support from staff, both to help advise on the process and to help the transition to temporary and settled accommodation, was recognised as important to achieving good outcomes.
The research follows the publication of our review of how effectively Glasgow City Council and housing associations work to secure homes for people who are homeless in the city.
Through the review we made a number of recommendations, many of which will be relevant for all of those working to help people who are homeless.
“The length and complexity of the homelessness process can be significant factors.”
Housing people quickly by streamlining and simplifying assessment processes and giving people a named case worker throughout the process are important ways to help achieve better outcomes and experiences for people who are homeless.
We found that the length and complexity of the homelessness process can be significant factors in people losing contact with the council.
We are in the midst of reviewing our regulatory framework, and we’ve already signalled that homelessness services will be a major priority for us.
This research reinforces the importance of us keeping homelessness a priority. We want to continue to hear what is important to people who have to experience these services.
We will use this feedback, along with our ongoing discussions with tenants, landlords and others to help us set our approach to regulation for the next five years.
Michael Cameron, chief executive, Scottish Housing Regulator
Cathy at 50 campaign
Our Cathy at 50 campaign calls on councils to explore Housing First as a default option for long-term rough sleepers and commission Housing First schemes, housing associations to identify additional stock for Housing First schemes and government to support five Housing First projects, collect evidence and distribute best practice.
