1. Background
Solihull Community Housing (SCH) delivers the housing management, homelessness and housing advice service on behalf of the Council
Demand for frontline service increased significantly; in 2014/15:
2409 households interviewed by the housing options team
1122 homeless applications (168% increase compared to 10/11)
599 homeless acceptances ( 93% increase since 10/11) – 6th highest acceptance rate in the Country
Large increase in:
not in priority need decisions (an increase of over 1000% between 09/10 and 14/15) ;
single person households accepted as homeless (a 397% increase over the same period)

2. Need for Shared Accommodation
Large cohort of single people struggling to find local suitable and affordable accommodation (65% of the 8,500 on the waiting list = demand for 1-bed properties)
Housing Market Factors: supply vs. demand
Private rented sector smaller than average (9.9% compared to 14% regional & 16.8% national)
Within this lack of shared options
At the same time some parts of the Council’s stock becoming harder to let
Fall in the number of social rented lettings and increase in the proportion of lettings to homeless households

3. Solihull’s Pilot
Small scale scheme to test out the sharing model in social housing
Solihull part of a small sub-regional pilot to test different methods of providing shared accommodation across a range of social landlords
Solihull also a pilot area for Fair Chance Fund scheme for young singles (homeless, NEET and with no statutory duty to assist)
4 Council properties in the HRA bed high rise and 1 3-bed low rise (with the 3 beds to be let to 2 sharers)
Target group = single people with low to medium support needs

4. Identification & Matching
Single NPN decisions & advice / assistance cases
Housing waiting list
Supported accommodation providers
Advertisement through CBL and other social media
Matching
Matching questionnaires used at pre-tenancy support sessions
Work with applicants / interested parties to look at existing contacts
Fair Chance Fund Young People – receiving more intensive support and matches arranged by support workers

5. Allocations & Letting Arrangements
Approval sought to allocate properties outside of the Housing Allocations Scheme using delegated authority to vary the letting criteria / award additional priority / manage the stock (i.e. strategic approach to difficult to let stock)
Decisions to be made between applicants based on the ability to support suitable matches and level of need / length of wait
Properties to be let through a standard joint tenancy – flexible fixed term following an initial introductory tenancy
Individual or joint AST = not an option for an LA
Licence Agreement = insecure & outside the scope of Housing Act regime

6. Support to Tenants
Pre-tenancy support, targeted at supporting shared living
Sharers charter
Budgeting advice
Assistance with applying for Local Welfare Provision support & setting up benefits etc.
Assistance with move-in
On-going light touch floating support (more intensive in the initial weeks after start-up but tailing off from month 3 where there are no issues)
More intensive support for young people being accommodated through Fair Chance Fund Scheme

7. Funding Work to properties – funded via regional pilot
Matching & support – fitted into internal pre-tenancy support framework
Additional support :
Work with Income & Awards re: use of DHP to support any period where 1 tenant moves out and the other tenant is liable for the full rent (where an applicant is on Housing Benefit)
Use of prevention fund to cover the under-occupation penalty associated with the additional room in the 3-bed property
Council tax – each to pay half with a lead tenant identified
Flexible use of prevention fund to cover any issues with affordability that may arise from 1 joint tenant leaving (e.g. if the remaining tenant were working and DHP could not be used)

8. Gemma Thompson
Housing Strategy Officer
Solihull MBC