Housing Advice and Homelessness in North Somerset

Background - Services Housing Advice - Face to face, on-line, telephone Homelessness Prevention – whatever it takes.... Resolve HB problems/rent arrears Negotiate with parents/family/friends Provide tenancy support for clients who are struggling, Support in court for possession claims Assess and Investigate Homelessness Applications Homeless ? Eligible? Priority Need? Intentional? Local Connection? Provide emergency and temporary accommodation (only for the most vulnerable) Secure accommodation Private rented sector/Social Housing/Supported Housing

Demands on Service Current caseload breakdown 196 open housing advice and homelessness prevention cases 40 Homeless cases where full duty has been accepted–usually in TA waiting to be housed 23 pending homeless cases – usually in TA active investigations on-going

Reasons for homelessness 2016/17

Housing Resources – Temporary accommodation Emergency B&B/hostel - 18 Curo Supported housing - 14 Alliance TA (numbers) - 39 Careleaver Trainer flats - 2 Young Parent flats - 2 2 emergency units for YP

Housing Resources – Social Housing demand & supply

Accommodation Options – Private rented

Single homelessness

Priority Need ‘singles’ 2016/17

Rough Sleeping in NS

No. of Rough Sleepers from official Annual Count – North Somerset

Help for Rough Sleepers St Mungos commissioned to provide outreach services in NS YMCA received Big Lottery funding Somewhere to Go day centre Churches Together – daily hot meals Comfort at Christmas Outreach Nurse Practitioner Streetlink reporting line

Begging

Begging Often assumed as rough sleepers Partnership working to tackle unscrupulous/aggressive begging Multi-agency Street Communities Forum – helps distinguish true rough sleepers from beggars

Homelessness Summit Brought together key agencies, individuals and volunteers who have an interest in homelessness – some work in isolation Pool available resources and good will Workshop based morning to get ideas and feedback from everyone What do local people think are the priorities?

Workshop Feedback - Priorities Night shelter Affordable housing with support Shared messaging Accommodation with dogs Support for prison leavers Better partnership working Links with DWP Use empty shops

Single and Street Homelessness Partnership New partnership being set up to improve and coordinate services Feedback from the Summit will help inform the action plan Group will include volunteers, churches, community groups – not just the Council

Future Challenge Homelessness Reduction Act Biggest change in homelessness legislation since the 1996 Act was introduced Marked increase in legal duties particularly for single people Good for public – major challenge for the service.

Future Actions Implement the Homelessness Reduction Act Mitigate adverse effects of welfare reform Develop shared housing Set up multi-agency panel to assist those with complex needs Increase the supply of affordable PRS housing Supported housing – better meet needs through commissioning Further develop services for care leavers

Housing Advice and Homelessness in North Somerset Questions?