Housing Services Members bitesize briefing September 2016

Reigate & Banstead Housing Register Slide 2 Basic Statistics Over 900 households on our Housing Register Over 500 new applications per year (around 55% acceptance rate) Around 300 lets per year from Registered Providers Applicants are ‘banded’ into priorities depending on circumstances Social rent levels increasing & no tenancy for life

Basic eligibility 1. Local Connection Criteria 3 years residence or 12 months employment. 2. Income & Savings criteria singles – 25k, couples – 30k, households with children - 50k, savings - 16k 3. Housing Needs assessment - Examples lacking bedrooms, urgent medical or welfare need, under occupiers in social rented housing. Community Contribution Award the council awards extra priority to those in employment, education or volunteering. This can affect their average waiting time. Slide 3

British Armed Forces Personnel In various circumstances personnel and their partners are exempt from the Local Connection criteria Depending on their individual situation they can be awarded different levels of priority from the highest Band A to Band C Slide 4

Who does not qualify for the Housing Register? Examples those who do not meet local connection, financial or housing need criteria. applicants under 16 years of age home owners or people who have exercised the right to buy. those with rent or council tax arrears unless they have kept to a repayment plan for over 12 months. people who are guilty of unacceptable / anti-social behaviour. Slide 5

Housing Options – preventing homelessness So what do we do?  Prevention & sustainment first regardless of tenure  Advice  Liaison & cooperation with statutory agencies through Multi Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA), Multi Agency Risk Assessment Committees (MARAC) & Community Incident Accident Group (CIAG) etc.  Prepare (again) for Welfare Reform, new lower benefit cap Nov 16, Universal Credit expected to go live for families first half of 2017 Slide 6

Available Tools Support & advice Rent Deposit Scheme Housing Register Financial rent guarantee Mortgage interest benefit eSOS Sanctuary scheme ESDAS Supported accommo dation Family Support team Rent in advance /deposit Winter night shelter Parasho ot referrals Online self help tool Repossession Prevention Fund DHP fund Debt advice

A more challenging environment  Cases more complex and therefore more time consuming  Other agencies have increased their thresholds before working with clients  Managing expectations  Case loads around 50 per officer at any one time Slide 8

Homelessness – can happen to anyone….. Final emergency ‘pick up’ option 5 legal tests when dealing with a homeless application: -Eligible -Homeless -Priority Need -Intentionally homeless -Local Connection Legislation now allows a LA to discharge their housing duty into the private rented sector Slide 9

Acceptances & reasons for homelessness 2014/15 & 2015/16 Slide 10 Total 139

The juggling act! 800 approaches a year (mix of homeless and those with housing issues) Access to over 100 units of temporary accommodation Around 300 permanent tenancies (50% I bed / sheltered) a year 50 new private tenancies via NextStep often using Discretionary Housing Payments and Rent Guarantor scheme The reality is… o 25 households in B&B most nights – expensive! Why use B&B? o 6 week ‘rule’ / self contained / out of borough o Cut down on officer contact ……… online Self help tool o Self Service Slide 11

Costs B&B average weekly charge £500 (1 household) Rental income £200 weekly (1 household) 2015/16 over £550k net What challenges are next Reduction in Benefit Cap Rising private rents Rising social rents Reduction in number of affordable rents Introduction of Universal Credit Housing Relating Support cuts London authorities buying stock within RBBC area Slide 12

Latest news We have had an offer accepted to purchase a B&B in the Borough which will be used as emergency accommodation for up to 10 families in place of privately owned B&B’s in London. To be purchased with s.106 money. 8 temporary accommodation units already purchased with s.106 money Vulnerable families can be kept local to schools and support networks B&B spend reduced (assuming demand does not increase) We continue in our search for up to 2 further B&B properties to purchase in the Borough using s106 money. Slide 13

Intentionally homeless (IH) case study Couple with 3 children, ages 4-10 (working) 3 years in 3 bed house private rental rent £1095 pcm (affordable) Evicted for nearly £5k rent arrears Also had £1200 Council Tax arrears Gambling up to £1800 a month 4 months in B&B, once found IH, evicted by RBBC from B&B MP & Cllr’s involved by applicant Case passed to Children Services due to children involved Slide 14

Positive outcome case study Family served Notice by landlord’s mortgage company (self employed) RBBC previously found her AST 9 years ago Worked with NextStep to find new rental Awarded £3k Discretionary Housing Payment for rent in advance & deposit Deposit secured in RBBC name to be returned Family avoided homelessness & B&B Joined HR for chance of social housing in the future Slide 15