STAYING IN UNDERSTANDING EVICTIONS & ABANDONMENTS FROM HOSTELS Neelam Sunder, Homeless Link

EVICTION AND ABANDONMENT PROJECT 3 year project – funded by the Oak Foundation Year 1: The causes, solutions and good practice Staying In: Understanding Evictions and Abandonments from London’s Hostels: - Literature review and quantitative analysis - Research in 14 hostels and 2 day centres: 64 clients, 40 staff,14 managers and 5 people from local authorities - Year 2: Trialling solutions in 5 areas Year 3: National change programme

FACTS & FIGURES Planned moves have grown and abandonment has halved, but slight increase in eviction levels Clients are twice as likely to have an eviction for behaviour than arrears 48% of clients who are evicted and 47% of abandoners are subsequently seen rough sleeping People who are evicted or abandon have usually been on CHAIN for some time 9% had multiple evictions and abandonments, but most only ever abandon or get evicted People who are evicted or abandon have high support needs

KEY CROSS-CUTTING FACTORS Attitude of project towards prevention The availability of move on impacts on motivation Relationships between staff and clients The quality of the physical environment Availability of activities / atmosphere Time and skills to challenge behaviour effectively Liaising with commissioners/external people

EVICTION FOR BEHAVIOUR Lots of different practice in: Types of behaviour that led to sanctions Responses to dealing with behaviour Most successful services at preventing eviction for behaviour view behavioural challenges as a support need and have individualised responses

EVICTION FOR ARREARS Levels of eviction for arrears varied widely No clear association between client group and prevalence of eviction for arrears Key reasons for arrears: other debts, maintaining HB claims, high service charges, entering employment Staff and clients identified the importance of a well- managed, consistent and assertive response: - maximising income/ managing money - holding money for highest need clients - encouraging direct payments from benefits

ABANDONMENT Caused by a combination of factors, both inside and outside the service, e.g. immediate triggers (debt-at some hostels there is a strong association between arrears and abandonment/custody), pressure to engage Entrenched rough sleepers particularly likely to abandon – are examples out there of successful approaches with these clients, indicating that such abandonment could be prevented Positive relationships with staff identified by many clients as most important factor in preventing abandonment Practice of following-up after abandonment varies – seen as positive to inform street teams and actively pursue

RECOMMENDATIONS For local authorities: The Audit Commission through the Comprehensive Area Assessment should ensure that monitoring of NI141 takes into account the full range of factors leading to evictions and abandonments. Local authorities should monitor the levels of evictions for behaviour or arrears and abandonment Local authorities should lead a proactive local area approach to identifying alternatives to evictions Local authorities should consider the need for specialist longer term projects for those with multiple needs. For hostels: Hostel managers need to make the reduction of evictions for arrears or behaviour, and abandonment a priority across their staff teams. Hostel managers should performance manage staff to make informal engagement and a focus on the causes of behaviour commonplace. Hostels should put in place policies to reduce evictions for arrears. Hostel policies should ensure that the expectations around behaviour reflect the client group in the hostel. Hostels should ensure that individuals are at the centre of a personalised support plan based on discussion and individual contracts.

GOOD PRACTICE You can find out more about reducing evictions and abandonments, including tips for frontline workers and case studies of effective services, by visiting our good practice webpage Neelam Sunder, West Midlands Regional Manager