1. Intro to the HRA & why new legislation was needed
Rebecca Ireland, Homelessness Adviser, Homelessness Advice and Support Team, MHCLG
Intro to the HRA & why new legislation was needed
What the HRA intended to achieve with regard to single homelessness
What the Act has achieved so far for single homeless people
Why a call for evidence now and what’s the plan moving forward
Introduction:
- Me
- Team purpose
Ask on me today
Here all day for questions and address above

2. Homelessness Reduction Act
Introduced via Private Members Bill DCLG Select Committee on homelessness took evidence of inconsistent/poor service, particularly to single people. Act commenced April 2018.
New duties to people who are homeless or threatened with homelessness within 56 days, irrespective of ‘priority need’ or ‘intentionality’.
Must assess circumstances and needs, including support needs, and take reasonable steps to try and prevent and/or relieve their homelessness, set out in a personalised housing plan (PHP)
Enhanced advice duty, with requirement to provide advice tailored to the needs of specified groups
Renewed Homelessness Code of Guidance
Introduction of the Duty to Refer in October 2018
Very brief summary of the Act’s origins and key points

3. Summary of Local Authority duties
DUTY
ADVICE
ASSESSMENT
PREVENTION
RELIEF
MAIN
WHAT
Provide free advice and info on homelessness, rights, access to services
Assess homelessness, circumstances and needs of households who apply for assistance
Take reasonable steps to prevent homelessness
Personalised Housing Plan (PHP), keep under review
Take reasonable steps to relieve homelessness
Keep PHP under review
Secure suitable (temporary) accommodation until the duty ends
WHO
All residents, including non-eligible
Bespoke advice for vulnerable groups – including people leaving custody
Assess homelessness for all applicants who may be homeless or threatened with homelessness
Assess circumstances & needs if found to be homeless or threatened with AND eligible for assistance
All applicants threatened with homelessness AND eligible for assistance
Applicants actually homeless and eligible for assistance.
If no local connection can refer to another LA
Provide interim accommodation if may have priority need
Homeless, eligible, have priority need, & not intentionally homeless
Table that set out the Duties of LA’s – includes 4 additions from the HRA and the old main duty – all oven to single homeless, eligible homeless and or threatened wit homelessness.
Very mixed picture across the country - in some LA’s we are told this is a model that was already in place and this is formalising this – standardising an approach

5. Homelessness Reduction Act: Early Indications
We have published H-Clic experimental data for April 2018 to March The data indicates positive changes have already been achieved through implementation of the Act
In the first year of the HRA local authorities accepted a new duty to 263,720 households
58% (58,290) of prevention duties ended due to accommodation being secured for 6 months or more – 35% of these households were helped to retain existing accommodation 
20% (19,790) of prevention duties ended because the household became homeless
43% (40,010) of  relief duties ended due to accommodation being secured for 6 months or more
Prevention duties were owed to 105,230 households; and on cases where the duty has ended:
59% were prevented from homelessness
66% moved into alternative accommodation
34% retained existing accommodation
Relief duties were owed to 84,530 households; and on cases where the relief duty had ended 45% were secured accommodation to relieve homelessness 
Main duty acceptances were 20,250 - less than half of acceptances during the same period in 2017
Non-priority homeless decisions were made on 6,020 applications – also a big reduction on the same period in 2017 (14,040)  
However we know that in addition to data quality issues, there is a built in delay in main duty decisions post HRA
Mixed picture across London – macro and micro
32% (30,040) of relief duties ended after 56 days in which homelessness had not been relieved. These households would be assessed under a main duty.
Main duty acceptances were 29,530 - less than half of acceptances during the year preceding the introduction of the HRA  
Non-priority homeless made on 9,440 applications – also a big reduction on the same preceding period (18,460)  
However we know that in addition to data quality issues, there is a built in delay in main duty decisions post HRA 

6. Homelessness Reduction Act: Who is Getting Help
Households accepted for a homelessness prevention or relief duty Lone parent & children 26% Couple & children 8% 3+ adults & children 1% Single male 36% Single female 23% Couple 5% 3+ adults no children 1% Families 35% Single people 65%
Single people at risk of rough sleeping are now accessing support. By embedding HRA, duty to refer and early intervention we can reduce future rough sleeping
Historically single men have had least access to homelessness support - but since HRA commencement 36% of households owed a duty are single men.
Amongst all accepted households the most reported support needs are
History of mental health problems – 55,640
Physical ill health and disability – 34,720
At risk of/have experienced domestic abuse –23,430
Offending history –18,790

7. HRA Review and Moving Forward
Commitment to review the Act within 2 years – 3 elements of the review (Call for Evidence Deadline – 15th October 2019)
LGO and other HRA focused reviews
Data to review and use for benchmarking
Recent funding announcements – rollover funding + extra £54m for 2020/21
DHP funding increase by £40m in 2020/21
PRS Access Fund – 54 local authorities, £19m, 13 London Boroughs and 3 cross borough sub-regional bids
SHPS across 13 boroughs £4.7m Life Chances Funding
Spending Review in 2020
Make reference to short termism – officer of future generation – discount rate – health – other departments
Support at the point of Crisis – very important but getting the balance with prevention is key
Other initiatives that support the housing options available to single people SHPS PRS access
Support – tenancy training, not just advice
Data – visits – case load numbers
Review questions- add information about the funding and what has been spent over the HRA new burdens funding -