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Although separate, the 2003 homelessness strategies were developed by the East Kent authorities in partnership, and they included an overarching statement demonstrating their long-term commitment to joint working. Shared priorities included:
If housing difficulties can be resolved at an early enough stage, the need to make a homelessness application may not arise. The Housing Options model of service delivery was introduced originally by the London Borough of Harrow. Cited by Government as an example of proven best practice, it is now well established in East Kent, and has been significant in reducing the number of homelessness applications made, and the numbers accepted, which reduced by 64% in the four years to 2008 (see section 2.3).
Each authority also records the number of households who avoided homelessness as a result of successful housing advice (see appendix 5), and table 9 illustrates the steady increase in the number of households that have benefited from the increasing emphasis on prevention.
Year
Canterbury
Dover
Shepway
Thanet
Total
2005-2006
182
152
176
79
589
2006-2007
210
205
175
742
2007-2008
187
172
220
141
720
579
476
601
395
2051
All of the East Kent authorities met the Government target to ensure that by 2003, families with children did not occupy bed and breakfast accommodation for more than six weeks.
The use of temporary accommodation generally has reduced significantly within East Kent as well. Table 10 illustrates the numbers of households in temporary accommodation at year-end for the six years to 2007-2008. At March 2008 both Canterbury City Council and Thanet District Council had exceeded the Government’s 2010 target some two years sooner than required (see table 14).
2002-2003
381
107
113
35
2003-2004
334
121
110
73
2004 - 2005
286
114
158
77
246
118
144
111
228
83
70
99
52
More recently, issues have arisen with a privately owned and managed bed and breakfast hotel in Margate which is not only used as emergency accommodation by Thanet District Council, but also other Kent authorities and agencies. Kent County Council has expressed concern at the concentration of vulnerable people in this part of Margate and a joint county-wide agreement for placing families and individuals in this accommodation is being developed. Thanet District Council is also addressing the need for alternative emergency accommodation of people with complex needs that are difficult to place elsewhere.
The Porchlight Outreach and Resettlement Team were established in 1998 to support the increasing number of people sleeping on the streets of Canterbury. Funded originally by Government grant, the service expanded into Dover, Shepway and Thanet with funding from the Big Lottery Fund, and from individual authorities’ homelessness grants. Over time, it has evolved to meet a wider range of needs, and to take an increasingly preventative approach, providing tenancy sustainment as well as specialist services, including prison outreach (working with offenders prior to and after release), and a young persons mental health outreach service.
Drop-in services have been running in Canterbury, Dover and Shepway since April 2005 and are perceived as a very effective way of delivering the outreach service. Table 11 shows the number of clients that have accessed the service since it first began.
100
160
76
197
37
109
0
Porchlight has also provided a separate community outreach and support service to the residents of two tower blocks in Ramsgate. The service was accessed by 543 local people during 2006-2008 and has led to the establishment of a Residents’ Association and a number of individual community groups.
From January 2008, the service expanded countywide with funding from Supporting People. Key aims include:
One of the main impediments to accessing accommodation in the private rented sector for people on low incomes is the need to pay a deposit. The rent deposit scheme enables homeless people to access the private sector by providing a repayable rent deposit and where appropriate, one months rent in advance. The schemes vary between the East Kent authorities, but each one has made a major contribution to the prevention of homelessness in the sub-region.
In April 2007 the Government introduced the Tenancy Deposit Protection Scheme. Any landlord who took a deposit from this date was required to protect it using a government authorised tenancy deposit scheme, for which a charge was made.
As an alternative to taking a deposit, both Dover and Shepway have offered a deposit bond to landlords that participate in the rent deposit scheme. No monies are actually paid to the landlord at the start of the tenancy, but the Councils undertake to meet any end of tenancy costs that would normally be offset against the deposit. The scheme has been well received by participating landlords in the two districts.
In total, the schemes have helped in excess of 1400 households to access accommodation in the private rented sector in the five and a half years to September 2008:
Porchlight has also made rent deposits available as part of their preventative work, making in excess of £6,000 available in the twelve months to March 2007.
Four countywide protocols, developed by the Kent Joint Policy and Planning Board for Housing (JPPB) between 2005 and 2008, each identify the statutory duties and agreed responsibilities of partner agencies for ensuring that young people, intentionally homeless families with children, offenders, and people with mental health needs all secure accommodation suitable for their needs. Monitored by the JPPB, the aim of the protocols is to establish and agree an approach to preventing homelessness and addressing tenancy sustainment by the partner agencies, irrespective of local authority area.
Complex cases involving homeless and potentially homeless households are increasingly addressed through multi-agency case conferences. This has been beneficial to all parties, ensuring a greater understanding and cooperation between agencies, improved joint working and communication across districts and a more sustainable outcome for the household.
A family approached the Housing Options Team seeking housing advice and assistance. Their landlord, who wished to gain possession of the property, had served them with court proceedings.
Social Services were already involved in the case, as there had been evidence of domestic violence, witnessed by the children.
The Social Worker contacted the Housing Options Team to explain the family’s situation and the Housing Needs Manager was invited to attend a case conference and also to become a member of the core group, which monitored the family’s progress on an ongoing basis. Copies of the initial child protection conference minutes and the child protection plan document were provided to the Housing Needs Manager, who was also involved in the decision to place the children on the child protection register.
The family eventually became homeless, and submitted a homelessness application.
Although they were eventually assessed as intentionally homeless, they were re-housed into secure accommodation through the Council’s housing register. This positive outcome was possible because of the on-going involvement of the Housing Options Team with the family, and the close liaison with Social Services. The family’s housing application was kept up to date, and Social Services were involved at every stage.
The Government’s housing policy places considerable emphasis on the themes of choice and responsibility. One element of this agenda is changing the mechanism through which households access affordable housing. Traditional methods of allocating affordable housing are being seen as increasingly bureaucratic, and less preferable than alternative approaches that allow applicants to play a greater role in the process of selecting their home.
Choice based lettings is being implemented in Kent by the Kent Choice Based Lettings Partnership a Thanet-lead consortium of 12 local authorities and 14 RSLs. In 2005 the partnership (which was at the time a much smaller group of East and Mid-Kent authorities), obtained a Government grant of £100,000 to offset against the cost of developing the service. Combined with the economies in expanding the partnership countywide, the Partnership is confident that it will be able to deliver a service that it not only cost-effective, but also able to help tackle homelessness through better use of existing housing, opportunities for greater mobility between districts, and greater choice for applicants.
Choice based lettings was implemented in Canterbury and Thanet in July 2008. Dover and Shepway will follow during the second half of 2008-2009, well in advance of the Government’s 2010 target.
Canterbury City Council was awarded Regional Homelessness Champion status by the Government in 2005, in recognition of reductions in homelessness and rough sleeping, and the targeting of vulnerable groups through amendments to the housing register. The purpose of the award was to encourage successful authorities to support others and share good practice to prevent homelessness. The Council provided information and training to other local authorities and service providers directly, and through attendance at conferences.
The Sanctuary scheme is an initiative that helps people who have experienced domestic violence to remain safely in their homes. The scheme is currently available in Canterbury and Thanet, and will be implemented in Dover and Shepway during 2008-2009. It is available to people who live in Council and RSL accommodation, and also those who live in the private sector. During 2007-2008, 16 households were helped to stay in their homes.
A client who contacted the Housing Options Team advised that her former partner was harassing her.
She lived in Thanet with her daughter, and wanted to remain in the district so that her daughter, who was at secondary school, would not need to change schools at such an important time in her education. The client was a nurse and worked unusual hours, often having to leave her daughter at home alone during the evenings.
The harassment continued, and the Police become involved when the client returned from work early one morning and found that her former partner had gained access to her home.
The Sanctuary scheme provided a replacement back door, a new lock for the front door, and installed safety glass to both. This has enabled the client and her daughter to remain safely at home, with the opportunity of continued support from the scheme, should it become necessary.
The East Kent authorities each participate in the East Kent Single Agency Assessment process, which enables statutory partner agencies to refer applicants who require housing due to a health/support need that cannot be met by their current accommodation. Developed in 2003 by the Joint Policy and Planning Board, the process has been extremely effective in establishing a multi-agency approach to meeting the housing needs of vulnerable people, and also in starting to map the need for accommodation-based services across the sub-region.
A single agency assessment was completed by an Occupational Therapist in October 2007 on behalf of a family who were living in a two-bedroom property situated on three floors.
Although mobile, the applicant was unsteady on her feet and she suffered chronic tiredness when exerted. She lived with her two sons who both had learning disabilities, and required 24-hour care and supervision.
As a result of the SAA, the Housing Options Team placed the family into the highest priority band, and by the end of October they has been re-housed into a three-bedroom house, which was suitable for future adaptation if required.
During 2007-2008, 271 single agency assessment referrals were made by 16 partner agencies across East Kent. Of these, 29% were re-housed during 2007-2008.
Priority
High
14
18
101
168
Medium
8
28
58
108
Low
4
5
19
26
32
68
178
304
Private sector leasing has provided the East Kent authorities with a further alternative to placing homeless families in bed and breakfast accommodation by providing temporary accommodation that is more suited to their needs. Individual schemes vary between authorities and have been attractive to landlords who are able to lease their properties for a fixed period of five years, in return for a full management service and a guaranteed rental income.
As a result of the Government’s drive to end the use of all types of temporary accommodation, this scheme is not being expanded. However, it remains an excellent form of temporary accommodation in East Kent.
11
44
88
34
177
Mediation services are provided across East Kent by The Mediation Service (East Kent), the Shepway Mediation Service (in Dover and Shepway) and in Canterbury, by KCHT Breakthrough. The value of mediation and support in preventing homelessness is well recognised, particularly for young people. Improved communication between family members, increased attendance at school and increased confidence and self-esteem are positive additional outcomes that frequently result from mediation and support.
A young single mother with a three-year-old child contacted the Council’s Housing Options team requesting assistance with finding alternative accommodation.
They were living in a privately rented flat with the child’s grandmother, but the relationship between the mother and grandmother was deteriorating. The flat was small, space was limited and there had been a number of alcohol-related incidents.
The mediation team worked closely with both parties, and they were eventually able to reconcile many of their differences. They were supported in agreeing future boundaries that would help to relieve the potential stress of living in a small flat.
As a result, the young mother and her child were able to remain at home, and did not pursue their application for alternative accommodation through the Housing Options team.
Foreword
Executive Summary
Strategic Context
East Kent Perspective
Achievements and Progress
Reviewing the Service
Strategic Priorities
Resources and Funding
Monitoring and Reviewing
Action Plan
Appendix 1 - East Kent Homelessness Forum
Appendix 2 - homelessness and priority needs categories
Appendix 3 - Service user consultation feedback summary
Appendix 4 - partners
Appendix 5 - Performance
Appendix 6 - Glossary of terms
Appendix 7 - anticipated funding and expenditure
Appendix 8 - local authority contact details
E-mail:
housing@thanet.gov.uk
Tel: 01843 577218