Homelessness in Scotland Marion Gibbs Scottish Government
Background Homelessness Task Force Homelessness Monitoring Group Legislation: –Housing (Scotland) Act 2001 Temporary accommodation and advice and assistance to all homeless households –Homelessness etc (Scotland) Act homelessness target
Context Budget – no direct budget – devolved to local authorities to prioritise £500,000 for housing options hubs one year) In 2009/10, around 50,000 homelessness assessments (1% of population) 40% of LA lets and 26% of housing association lets to homeless households
2012 Homelessness target All unintentionally homeless households will have the right to settled accommodation Removal of the “priority need” test 31 December 2012
Progress In 2009/10, 85% of all homelessness assessments regarded as being in priority need – an increase of 2% from previous year In 2006/07, the first year after the Ministerial statement, priority need assessments stood at 54%
Housing options and hubs Scottish Government/COSLA Joint 2012 Steering group Prevention of homelessness – development of housing options hubs All local authorities in Scotland in one of five regional hubs Partnership working, joint training, commissioning research
Contacts etc 2012 SG/COSLA Joint Group: Environment/Housing/access/homeless/20 12Target Environment/Housing/access/homeless/20 12Target The hubs: Environment/Housing/access/homeless/H omelessnessPrevention Environment/Housing/access/homeless/H omelessnessPrevention