1. “Ending Rough Sleeping in South East London” 6 December 2010

2. Ending Rough Sleeping in South East London SELHP PrOMPT ANALYSIS Lydia Lewinson SELHP Homelessness Co-ordinator

3. Ending Rough Sleeping in South East London PrOMPT is a toolkit designed to help local authorities and service providers identify opportunities for early interventions to prevent rough sleeping. means to learn from the views and experiences of rough sleepers in order to provide interventions that meet their needs. an audit of individual journeys into rough sleeping.

4. Ending Rough Sleeping in South East London SELHP PrOMPT ANALYSIS STAGE ONE Settled accommodation

5. Ending Rough Sleeping in South East London Demographics Experiences of 93 individuals Male 75 (80.65%) Female 17 (18.28%) (No answer 1) AgecountPercentage 18-25 55.38% 26-3520 21.51 36-4533 35.48 46-5527 29.03 56-65 66.45 No answer 22.15%

6. Ending Rough Sleeping in South East London Ethnicity profile White - British (1) 56 60.22% White - other (2) 8 8.60% Black/Black British - Caribbean (11) 8 8.60% Black/Black British - African (12) 10 10.75% Black/Black British - other (13) 3 3.23% Mixed - White and Black Caribbean (3) 1 1.08% Mixed - other (6) 1 1.08% Asian/Asian British - Indian (7) 1 1.08% Asian/Asian British - Pakistani (8) 0 0.00% Asian/Asian British - Bangladeshi (9) 0 0.00% Asian/Asian British - other (10) 0 0.00% Chinese (14) 0 0.00% Mixed - White and Black African (4)0 0.00% Mixed - White and Asian (5) 0 0.00% Other 2 2.15% No answer 3 3.23%

7. Ending Rough Sleeping in South East London

8. Other – prison, stayed in a restaurant, hostel x 2 Accommodation Frequency Percentage Private rented sector 23 24.73% Local Authority allocation (LA/HA) 11 11.83% Housing Association direct let 1 1.08% Owner occupier/joint owner 2 2.15% With friends 3 3.23% With partner 21 22.58% Family home - parents 21 22.58% Family home - extended family 6 6.45% Foster care/looked after 0 0.00% Overseas 1 1.08% Other44.3% Last settled accommodation

9. Ending Rough Sleeping in South East London Where was the accommodation? Bexleyheath Plumstead Greenwich Orpington Bromley Southwark Crystal Palace Brixton Lambeth Croydon Bexhill Essex Whitechapel Westminster West London Newham Potters Bar Leicester Lincoln Bradford Derbyshire Bolton Cyprus Ireland Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Kent Canterbury Bexhill Essex Newham Potters Bar Hertfordshire

10. Ending Rough Sleeping in South East London What was the main reason for leaving? Relatives/parents no longer able/ willing to accommodate7.5% Relationship breakdown 39.8% Mortgage arrears1.1% Rent arrears4.3% Evicted due to breach of tenancy4.3% End of tenancy1.1% Went into custody 11.8% Other 26.88%

11. Ending Rough Sleeping in South East London What was the main reason for leaving? Relationship breakdown 39.8% Violent 11.9% Non-violent19.3% Bereavement 3.2% Drug/alcohol use10.8% Financial difficulties 2.15%

12. Ending Rough Sleeping in South East London What one thing would have kept you in your last settled accommodation? Finance/income Employment Relationships Access to accommodation Access to information or support Family/Relationships Behaviour Nothing/Don’t know

13. Ending Rough Sleeping in South East London 48.4% people were rough sleeping in the local area 51.6% had moved into the area What drew you into the sub-region? 54.84% no real reason given Homelessness services 6 Family and friends 13 Had to leave the area they were residing in 1 Aware of services 10 said “yes” 33 said “No” Locality

14. Ending Rough Sleeping in South East London How long ago were you living in the last settled accommodation? 1-6 months 10 6 -12 months 9 1 - 2 years 17 2 - 5 years 22 5 - 10 years 16 More than 10 years 17 (18%) 41% had resided between 1-5 years in last settled accommodation 35.5% had resided for over five years in their last settled accommodation

15. Ending Rough Sleeping in South East London Did you access any support or advice before leaving? None 54% Services for Homelessness people 20.43% When asked any support or advice wanted but not accessed 50% of respondents said none Those who did Local Council Housing department Service for homeless people 25% Services for the general public 7.5% Specific advice for certain issues/groups 12% Other 8%

16. Ending Rough Sleeping in South East London What type of support did you want or need but did not access? None 47 Day centre 1 Homelessness Advice services 12 Local Housing Department 8 Outreach & resettlement 1 Employment & Training 2 Social Services 3 Probation 1 Job Centre Plus 1 Legal advice 1 General health 1 Alcohol and drugs 3 Mental health 1 Young people 1

17. Ending Rough Sleeping in South East London SELHP PrOMPT ANALYSIS STAGE TWO Settled home to rough sleeping

18. Ending Rough Sleeping in South East London Pathway into rough sleeping

19. Ending Rough Sleeping in South East London Vague responses around the transition into rough sleeping, no clear trends or patterns, some people 13 made informal arrangements in borough and about 7 made arrangements outside of the borough they became homeless in (Hackney, Lambeth, Whitechapel, Croydon, Highbury, Gipsy Hill, North of England) Pathway into rough sleeping

20. Ending Rough Sleeping in South East London Any services or support accessed during this time between leaving and going into rough sleeping None 39 Friends and family 2 Services for homeless people 37 Services for general public 5 Specific advice for certain issues/group 12 Other 10 Was there any support or advice you wanted but didn’t access? 39 people didn’t want any Services for homeless people 34 Services for the general public 3 (Employment/Training, Job Centre Plus, Social services) Specific advice for certain issues/group 5 Other 7

21. Ending Rough Sleeping in South East London What one thing could have stopped you from rough sleeping at this point Access or help to get accommodation/housing Information/knowledge about services Drug advice and services Temporary accommodation for longer than 2 nights General help and assistance Being able to mend broken relationships Having money Resettlement whilst in prison Employment Medication Access to hostel for rough sleepers

22. Ending Rough Sleeping in South East London SELHP PrOMPT ANALYSIS STAGE THREE Rough sleeping

23. Ending Rough Sleeping in South East London InstancesoneTwo-fiveSix-ten More than ten Unable to say No answer Actual1334512245 From the first time of rough sleeping to the last time How long did the unsettled period cover: 1 to 4 weeks 7 1 to 3 months12 3 to 6 months9 6 to 12 months 6 1 to 2 years16 2 to 5 years 16 5 to 10 years 13 More than 10 years 14 Between 5 and 10 years (29%)

24. Ending Rough Sleeping in South East London Accommodation typeNoDetails None19 Informal arrangements (squat/friends etc) 48 14 (in borough) 5 (out of borough) 6 (both in and out) 2 (don’t know where) Emergency accommodation (direct access hostel/night shelter) 30 4 (in borough) 2 (out of borough) 6 (both in and out) 1 (don’t know where) Specialist accommodation2 Long-term or independent accommodation 6 Institution12 Other5 In between the rough sleeping where did you stay?

25. Ending Rough Sleeping in South East London “ My first period of rough sleeping slept in Central London. Then I came to Greenwich because I was told about a supported housing/work project here. More recently when homeless again slept rough in Greenwich for one night, then went to Central London and the Passage Day Centre, and was told that the policy had changed and that I needed to go back to Greenwich. I continued sleeping in Greenwich in a stairwell of a block of flats.” Is there a formal referral reconnection process which is used to refer someone back to their “ home ” borough?

26. Ending Rough Sleeping in South East London Any support or advice accessed during the time of rough sleeping None 16 Family and friends 0 Services for homeless people 70 Services for general public 6 Specific advice for certain issues/group 12 Other 11 Any support or advice wanted but not accessed at this stage None 53 (over 50% not wishing to engage)

27. Ending Rough Sleeping in South East London Any accommodation wanted but not accessed None 26 Family and friends 7 Emergency accommodation (B&B, Night Shelter, DA Hostel) 42 Long term care/support 6 Specialist accommodation 2 Long term-or independent accommodation 32 Other 11 Any support or advice wanted but not accessed at this stage None 53 (over 50% not wishing to engage)

28. 3.6i How often did you access? onceOccasionallyRegularlyNo Answer Day Centres251670 How did you find the service accessed? PositiveNegativeNeitherNo answer Day Centres183171 How often did you access? onceOccasionallyRegularlyNo Answer Homelessness Advice Service 01488 How did you find the service accessed? PositiveNegativeNeitherNo answer Homelessness Advice Service 31188 How often did you access? onceOccasionallyRegularlyNo Answer Local Council Housing department 20289 How did you find the service accessed? PositiveNegativeNeitherNo Answer Local Council Housing department 21189

29. Ending Rough Sleeping in South East London SELHP PrOMPT ANALYSIS STAGE FOUR Moving away from rough sleeping

30. Ending Rough Sleeping in South East London Length of time since you have last slept rough 14 – still sleeping rough 1 to 4 weeks 12 1 to 3 months14 3 to 6 months12 6 to 12 months 23 Over a year15 No answer 3 Accommodation typeNoDetails None14 Informal arrangements (squat/friends etc) 1 Emergency accommodation (direct access hostel/night shelter) 23Mainly in borough Second stage accommodation0 Long-term care and support0 Specialist accommodation2 Long-term or independent accommodation 10 Private rented sector 4 In borough 3 out of borough Institution1 Other4

31. What one thing made the biggest difference in ending your rough sleeping? Being able to access or being offered accommodation Detox in prison and links to St Mungos outreach on release Rolling shelter St Giles Trust x 8 Local Council Housing Department Housing/getting clean/BCDP Diagnosis of Mental Health condition Hostel accommodation and outreach workers Own bed/accommodation Changing my lifestyle (using less and now on script) Getting in touch with my children Being found by an outreach team St Giles, St Mungos, Equinox, Housing Options ‘Freedom to be myself’

32. Ending Rough Sleeping in South East London Conclusion A number of people lost there original accommodation because of a prison sentence and appear hidden in the stats. Increase in Resettlement work required High percentage had issues with drugs and alcohol and spoke about the local drug community - earlier access to programmes Consistent message approx 50% chose not to access or engage with services Safer environment for rough sleeping After their initial approach people approached the Housing Departments, access less and less throughout the stages but homelessness services increased Unemployment/temporary contracts and maintaining a tenancy can be challenging and support needed.

33. Ending Rough Sleeping in South East London Conclusion Outreach and Resettlement services were key to engaging with and assisting these rough sleepers into accommodation What is the visibility of services to vulnerable people? Both inward and outward migration, 50% were local residents Identifying how housing benefit signpost people to help and support, when benefit entitlement changes and could lead to the loss of accommodation Routes for families to access family mediation and support, before and after relationship breakdown Advice for people facing rent arrears in the private sector Access to accommodation to avoid rough sleeping

34. Ending Rough Sleeping in South East London SELHP PrOMPT ANALYSIS Lydia Lewinson Lydia.lewinson@southwark.gov.uk SELHP Homelessness Co-ordinator