Taking it to the streets

The Homelessness Bill is on the verge of becoming an act after its colourful journey through the Houses of Parliament over the past two years (under the guise of the Homes Bill before the general election).

This is, of course, extremely good news for homeless people and those of us who have been campaigning for it over the years. The provisions and regulations have enjoyed widespread and all-party support and will put into place much-needed reforms.

But it is not enough to welcome it and believe it will work miracles.

Shelter is committed to working with, and supporting, local authorities, the government and other agencies to ensure that the act and regulations are properly implemented and used. If we do not, we will have failed the very people the act is there to help.

It will not be plain sailing. In practical terms, the act asks a huge amount of local authorities, which are already battling hard to respond to a host of other initiatives from central government.

But Shelter believes that with a genuine partnership with other statutory and voluntary agencies, the historic provisions of the act can be implemented successfully.

The act will see the safety net extended to include certain groups of people who are widely acknowledged to be at particular risk of homelessness.

Priority status will be given to care leavers, 16 and 17 year olds and certain groups of people leaving institutions.

A duty will also be put on local authorities to help non-priority homeless people by giving them a housing needs assessment and providing advice and assistance that is relevant to that person’s need. But beyond this, the act requires that local housing authorities take a long term and strategic approach to tackling and managing homelessness. They must carry out a review of homelessness in their area and of the activities and services available to tackle it.

Based on the review, they must draw up strategies for preventing homelessness and managing homelessness in their district. Again, this will increase the workload for housing departments but it could also work to their advantage. The act could be vital in raising the importance of local authorities’ homelessness services that have too often been viewed as marginal, with little profile and fewer resources.

The new law will specifically require the engagement of social services departments, as well as encouraging public, private and voluntary agencies, to assist in tackling homelessness.

In the longer term, agencies working together will reduce pressure on front line homelessness services, and help to prevent vulnerable people from losing their home. And there is much enthusiasm and willingness on the part of other agencies to help in these challenges. We have been contacted by countless agencies wanting information on the act and how they can get involved.

Shelter recognises that over the next year there is a lot of hard work to be done to ensure local authorities’ strategies are completed within the required time and we are committed to rolling up our sleeves to ensure this vital piece of legislation is implemented to its full potential.

We have a range of activities planned with the aim of assisting local authorities and others to make the act work on the ground.

Shelter’s new website aims to provide support to enable the act to be implemented effectively and to ensure that local homelessness strategies are as imaginative and comprehensive as possible.

It will give local authorities access to direct communication with each other and to Shelter staff with expert knowledge, through discussion forums, together with general, local and legal information, best practice guidelines and links.

We will also be running training courses for local authority and other key professionals, as well as a number of regional seminars for strategic players, including local authority leaders, heads of housing and strategists within health, education, probation and other agencies whose work will be affected by the new act.

There will also be changes to our own organisation through dedicating substantial resources to our local and regional implementation programme – including employing new members of staff across the country.

Each of our 50 local advice centres and projects will ensure that good practice is developed and promoted and that agencies outside homelessness units and housing departments are clear about their role in local homelessness strategies and in preventing homelessness.

A toolkit will be provided with guidance on the act, allocations, provisions and reviews and strategies.

Shelter will also commission substantial research, continuing throughout the period that reviews and strategies are being developed. The aim will be to understand how the changes are being implemented, identify best practice, and common problems and responses to these.

We are also keen to ensure that homeless and poorly-housed people are aware of the new legislation and we will, in partnership with other agencies, produce posters and leaflets to be distributed to a number of agencies.

We are planning to hold a national event in time to pull together the ideas and experience of agencies working on homelessness reviews.

This conference would be able to address emerging issues and give local authorities and others the opportunity to share the experiences and ideas they have had in time to influence each other and deliver the best deal for homeless people.

Shelter has been campaigning for this legislation since the Housing Act was introduced in the face of widespread opposition in 1996.

Throughout the extended passage of the Homes Bill and then the Homelessness Bill through parliament we have been pressing for some key changes and have briefed extensively all political parties and other key groups and individuals. We have done this because we believe that the Homelessness Act has the potential to mark a very big difference for many people.

Ensuring that its potential is realised depends on effective implementation in practice and we are determined to meet this bigger challenge and work as hard as we can to ensure the opportunity is not wasted.