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Homelessness Strategic Policy Statement

Summary

1. The purpose of the paper is to gain Cabinet agreement to the proposed public

service and early preventative approach required to tackle and prevent

homelessness, as set out in the Strategic Policy Statement (annex B).

2. The paper sets out the requirements on all areas of Government to ensure a

holistic response to tackling this issue.

3. It further sets out the proposed communications plan, including a call for

collective commitment from public services in the form of a Homelessness

Prevention Pledge, which is part of broader efforts to raise awareness and shift

the focus of resources to earlier prevention and longer-term solutions,

underpinned by trauma informed and person centred practices.

Objective of the paper

Background

4. Prosperity for All sets out the Welsh Government’s aim for everyone to have a

home that meets their needs and supports a healthy, successful and prosperous

life. It further sets out the Welsh Government’s commitment to preventing all

forms of homelessness.

5. It is important to recognise homelessness is about far more than just rough

sleeping. Figures from Crisis show that of those homeless in Wales,

approximately 6% are rough sleeping, with 94% in other forms of homelessness

(e.g. temporary or unsuitable accommodation, sofa surfing, emergency hostels)1.

Welsh Government is investing over £20m this year alone to specifically prevent

and relieve homelessness.

6. Prior to the publication of Prosperity for All, in 2009, the Welsh Government

published a 10 year homelessness plan for Wales, which comes to an end this

year. A focus of the plan was around embedding a preventative approach, which

1 Figures from Crisis Report ‘Everybody In’ (page 88). Note figures are from 2016. https://www.crisis.org.uk/media/239951/everybody_in_how_to_end_homelessness_in_great_britain_2018.pdf

Decision required To agree the proposed approach to tackling and preventing homelessness, as set out in the Strategic Policy Statement (annex B), and to agree to sign the Homelessness Prevention Pledge (annex C)

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was delivered, in part, through the introduction and subsequent implementation

of Part 2 the Housing (Wales) Act 2014.

7. Implementation of Part 2 by local authorities across Wales has done much to

prevent individuals and families from becoming homeless – over 23,673

households since 2015. However, whilst prevention rates remain high at 68% in

2018-19, there are still far too many whose homelessness is not prevented and

who are falling through the net. The demand on those presenting as at risk of

homelessness is also increasing, with 10,737 households presenting to local

authorities in 2018-19, with an even larger number, 11,715, owed a duty to

secure accommodation as they were already homeless.

8. The ethos of the legislation is prevention, but true prevention starts far earlier

than the 56 days required under the legislation. True prevention requires a

holistic response from Government – it is not simply a housing issue, it is a public

services issue. The homelessness legislation should be seen as the final safety

net when all other preventative actions have failed.

9. If we are to achieve the Welsh Government’s vision then our approach has to

support both those currently homeless into long-term, suitable accommodation,

whilst also significantly reducing the flow of individuals and families falling into or

at risk of homelessness. This will involve shifting resources from temporary,

emergency accommodation solutions, to earlier preventative approaches and

long term housing solutions.

10. As the 10-year plan comes to an end this year, this presents an opportunity to

build on the legislation and set out our strategic approach to tackling

homelessness. Rather than develop another long-term plan, instead a short,

sharp strategic document has been developed, to be underpinned by annual

actions plans, enabling the flexibility to adapt as evidence and policy develops.

Given the cross-Government response required to tackle this issue, collective

Cabinet agreement is required to the proposed strategic policy statement.

Strategic Approach

11. The purpose of the policy statement is to set out the strategic approach the

Welsh Government is taking to prevent and address homelessness in Wales. It

supports the aim in Prosperity for All of a Wales where everyone has a safe

home that meets their needs and supports a healthy, successful and prosperous

life. It builds on this to set out a vision of a Wales where we work together to

prevent homelessness and where it cannot be prevented ensure it is rare, brief

and non-recurrent.

12. The statement has been informed by discussion with officials across Welsh

Government and at the Homelessness Ministerial Task and Finish Group, which

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includes expertise from the sector, as well as senior officials from Health, Social

Services, Public Health, Education and Criminal Justice Agencies. A draft of the

statement has also been shared with the group for input and comment.

13. The statement sets out a number of key policy principles that underpin the

proposed approach. These are:

a. The earliest preventions are most effective and most cost effective and

should always be the interventions of first choice.

b. Tackling and preventing homelessness is a public services matter – rather

than a ‘housing matter’.

c. All services should place the individual at the centre and work together in

a trauma informed way.

d. The duties in Part 2 of the Housing (Wales) Act 2014 should be the last

line of defence – not the first - and all services should work to the spirit not

simply the letter of the law.

e. Policy, service delivery and practice should be informed and shaped in a

co-productive manner and by those with lived experience.

Impact

14. The shift to an early preventative approach and to viewing this as a public

services matter requires a commitment from Cabinet to working collectively to

address this issue and to ensuring consideration of homelessness in wider policy

decisions. The strategic statement sets out the high level policy objectives, and

this is what we are seeking Cabinet agreement.

15. In housing, it involves shifting the focus and resources to early intervention and

prevention, away from costly crisis interventions. This includes moving away from

temporary and emergency accommodation, to rapid-rehousing into long term

permanent housing solutions. It also includes shifting policy and resources from

managing crisis interventions when individuals are evicted, to preventative

approaches to avoid evictions in the first instance.

16. In health, it involves a re-commitment to the principle of not discharging anyone

from hospital into homelessness. This is not a new commitment, rather it involves

working to determine how we ensure this policy is implemented in practice.

17. It also involves continuing to work in a collaborative manner on substance

misuse and mental health, areas which we know effect many of those already

homeless, or which can exacerbate the spiral into homelessness. This work is

already underway, with officials agreeing joint projects and shared actions in the

Substance Misuse Delivery Plan 2019 to 2022 and the Together for Mental

Health Delivery Plan 2019 to 2022. Both plans identify cross-government actions

with housing as a priority and the need to support individuals with co-occurring

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and/or complex needs. In addition, specific funding has been made available in

2019-20 to support this priority, in particular further developing support for

Housing First.

18. In social services, it involves continued joint working on improving the transition

from the care system into independent living. We know a disproportionately high

number of young people leaving the care system fall into homelessness. This

joint working is also already underway, with a joint housing and social services

group tasked with improving the pathway from care to independent living.

19. In education, it involves continuing to work in a collaborative manner to tackle

youth homelessness. This work has been enhanced with the additional youth

homelessness funding, which has enabled work through the Youth Support

Grant, to support early intervention and preventative activities through education

and youth services. This also links to the additional mental health and wellbeing

youth work funding in the Youth Support Grant (£2.5m), and the additional £2.5m

which supports the whole school approach to well-being, all of which are aimed

at supporting young people to lead healthy, prosperous lives.

20. There are also implications for other parts of Government. It is vital policy

decisions help to address the root causes of homelessness, rather than simply

address the symptoms. For example, issues which on the face of it may be seen

as anti-social behaviour, may require actions to address a person’s housing or

mental health needs, rather than actions to ‘move-on’ a perceived problem.

21. The strategic policy statement will be supported by an annual action plan, setting

out the measures which will be taken across Government, working with partners,

to address this issue. The specific actions in the plan will be developed, costed

and agreed in due course with the relevant Ministers. The action plan will be

refreshed annually and annual progress reports will be published against the

preceding year’s plan.

22. The initial action plan will be informed by work currently underway by a

Homelessness Action Group, commissioned by Welsh Government. The group

of experts, led by Jon Sparkes, Chief Executive of Crisis, has been tasked with

addressing a number of key questions to assist the Welsh Government in

achieving the goal of ending homelessness in Wales. They are working over a

nine month period, with their first report, focused on the immediate actions Welsh

Government can take to address Rough Sleeping this winter, due in October

2019. The draft strategic policy statement has also been shared with the Action

Group for input and comment, as well as to inform their work.

Communications and publication

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23. A full communications plan has been developed to promote the strategic policy

statement and Homelessness Prevention Pledge. In the first instance, the

Minister for Housing and Local Government will make an Oral Statement to the

Assembly setting out the strategic policy approach, Welsh Government’s

commitment to annual action plans and promotion of the Homelessness

Prevention Pledge.

24. The Homelessness Prevention Pledge (annex C) has evolved out of our

Strategic Policy Statement for Homelessness. The Pledge is a call for collective

commitment from public services and part of broader efforts to raise awareness

and shift the focus of resources to earlier prevention and longer-term solutions. It

will be supported by a communications friendly version of the strategic policy

statement. The short term aim of the Pledge is to:

a. demonstrate Welsh Government leadership in taking a cross-government

and public services approach to preventing and tackling the causes of

homelessness;

b. achieve collective commitment from all organisations who come into

contact with people at risk of becoming homeless or experiencing

homelessness to work in trauma informed and person-centred way.

25. In the longer term, we are seeking to change the way organisations work

internally and with each other when it comes to planning and delivering services

for those who are at risk of becoming or experiencing homelessness.

26. This will be a no/low cost communications approach delivered in-house, with a

campaign delivery plan to support the Pledge. The first phase is to gain collective

Cabinet agreement to the strategic approach and sign up to the Homelessness

Prevention Pledge. We will then call on all public services (i.e. those who

regularly come into contact with people or families who are at risk of becoming

homeless/are already homeless) to sign the Pledge.

Julie James

Minister for Housing and Local Government

September 2019

Recommendation: To agree the proposed approach to tackling and preventing homelessness set out in the Strategic Policy Statement (annex B) and to sign up to the Homelessness Prevention Pledge (annex C)

(the summary should be 12pt bold and within this box)

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CABINET PAPER (Homelessness Strategic Policy Statement) Annex A

Statutory, Finance, Legal and Governance matters

Statutory Requirements

1. The strategic approach proposed will strengthen the preventative approach to

homelessness, including implementation of homelessness legislation. This in turn

will address the wellbeing goals of the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act

2015, particularly a healthier Wales but also a more equal Wales, a resilient Wales

and a Wales of cohesive communities.

2. In addition, a member of the Office of the Future Generations Commissioner sits on

the Homelessness Action Group, to ensure our work supports and aligns with the

Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act.

3. In the development of the strategic policy statement, consideration has been given

to Equality and Human Rights considerations. A full integrated impact assessment

will be undertaken as part of the development of annual action plans.

Finance Requirements and Governance Implications

4. There are no new financial implications resulting from this advice. The costs for

implementing the recommendations set out above can be met from within existing

DRC and programme budgets. The BEL number to which the costs are aligned is

the Homelessness Prevention BEL 1120. Funding for complex needs of £1m will be

met from the existing commitments within the Mental Health BEL 0060.

5. The strategic statement sets out the overarching approach of the Welsh

Government in addressing homelessness. It sets out the policy direction we are

currently pursuing and reflects cross-Government action already underway to

address this issue. There is no new activity set out within the strategic statement.

6. The annual action plan which will sit underneath the statement enables an

incremental approach to implementation, which will be determined by budgetary

considerations. The fully costed action plan will be developed with officials across

Welsh Government and be subject to separate Ministerial and financial approvals.

7. The current budget allocated to the Homelessness Prevention BEL (1120) within the

Housing and Local Government MEG is £17.907m in 2019/20. Any change in future

homelessness prevention budgets will affect the pace and scalability with which we

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will be able to implement the strategic approach set out in the statement, through

the annual action plans.

8. The costs for meeting the communications element of the recommendation will be

delivered in house from existing DRC resource.

9. This advice has been cleared by EPS Finance: EPS/JJ/247/19 and Strategic

Budgeting SB0918/5. Legal services have been given sight of this paper and were

content it did not raise any legal issues.

Research and / or Statistics 10. The statistics included in this paper have been approved by Knowledge & Analytical

services KAS 45/2019.

Joined up Working

11. Housing officials have been working with colleagues across Welsh Government and

in non-devolved criminal justice agencies in taking forward the Welsh Government’s

commitment to prevent all forms of homelessness. The strategic policy statement

has developed as a result of this joint-working and in particular, discussions at the

Ministerial Homelessness Task and Finish Group, of which senior officials in health,

social services and education are members.

12. This Cabinet Paper and supporting strategic statement has been drafted in

consultation with policy officials in the following areas:

a. Education – Ruth Conway, Deputy Director Support for Learners

b. Health – Tracey Breheny, Deputy Director Mental Health, Substance Misuse

and Vulnerable Groups

c. Social Services, Alistair Davey, Deputy Director Enabling People

d. Crime and Justice – Karin Phillips, Deputy Director Community Safety

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CABINET PAPER (Homelessness Strategic Policy Statement) Annex B

Homelessness – Strategic Policy Statement

The purpose of this policy statement is to set out the strategic approach the Welsh Government is taking to prevent and address homelessness in Wales. The statement will be supported by an annual action plan, setting out the measures which will be taken across Government, working with partners, to address this issue. The action plan will be refreshed annually and annual progress reports will be published against the preceding year’s plan. Vision A Wales where everyone has a safe home that meets their needs and supports a healthy, successful and prosperous life. A Wales where we work together to prevent homelessness and where it cannot be prevented ensure it is rare, brief and un-repeated. Our vision is for homelessness to be a rarity and when it does occur, it is brief, the individual or household is supported back into accommodation quickly and sufficiently supported so that they do not fall back into homelessness; setting households up to succeed not to fail. For that to happen, we need to help people in crisis so they can quickly enter long-term accommodation and thrive there. We also need to shift much more of our energy and resources to preventing homelessness from happening in the first place. We are clear, homelessness cannot be prevented through housing alone. All public services and the third sector have a role to play in delivering this vision. All Welsh Government Ministers are signed up to this approach and we are asking all local authorities, Health Boards, Registered Social Landlords and others to commit to this as well. Background Homelessness is where a person lacks accommodation or where their tenure is not secure. Rough sleeping is the most visible and acute end of the homelessness spectrum, but homelessness includes anyone who has no accommodation, cannot gain access to their accommodation or where it is not reasonable for them to continue to occupy accommodation. This would include overcrowding, ‘sofa surfing’, victims of abuse and many more scenarios. A person is also homeless if their accommodation is a moveable structure and there is no place where it can be placed. Homelessness, or the risk of it, can have a devastating effect on individuals and families. It affects people’s physical and mental health and well-being, and childrens’ development and education, and risks individuals falling into a downward spiral toward the more acute forms of homelessness. The impacts can be particularly devastating if a stable, affordable, housing solution isn’t achieved and people end up having to move frequently.

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Policy Principles There are a number of principles that underpin our approach to homelessness prevention, we expect these principles to underpin the work of our delivery partners and to be reflected across public services;

The earliest preventions are most effective and most cost effective and should always be the interventions of first choice.

Tackling and preventing homelessness is a public services matter – rather than a ‘housing matter’.

All services should place the individual at the centre and work together in a trauma informed way.

The duties in Part 2 of the Housing (Wales) Act 2014 should be the last line of defence – not the first - and all services should work to the spirit not simply the letter of the law.

Policy, service delivery and practice should be informed and shaped in a co-productive manner and by those with lived experience.

Shifting the focus Welsh Government acknowledges the need to move away from the ‘staircase’, earned rewards, model of service delivery. We are striving to re-shape services around a rapid re-housing approach - shifting the focus of our policy, practice and resources towards long term housing led solutions, away from the provision of emergency, temporary and hostel services. Context Implementation of Part 2 of the Housing (Wales) Act 2014 by local authorities across Wales has done much to prevent individuals and families from becoming homeless – over 23,673 households since 2015. However, whilst prevention rates remain high at 68% in 2018-19, there are still far too many whose homelessness is not prevented and who are falling through the net. The demand on local authority services under the 2014 Act duties is increasing. In 2018-19 over 10,000 households presented to local authorities as at risk and a further 11,500+ presented as homeless and owed a duty. The ethos of the legislation is prevention, but true prevention starts far earlier than the 56 days set out in the legislation. True prevention requires a holistic response from Government – it is not simply a housing issue. The homelessness legislation should be seen as the safety net when all other preventative actions have failed. The nature of preventative interventions varies, as do the ways in which they are deployed. This is best described as a continuum. At one end, there are the broader, population-focused actions e.g. health promotion campaigns on healthy eating. At the other is reactive crisis-type action required because a situation has become a very serious problem; a crisis e.g. acute hospital admission. One way of describing this continuum is as follows:

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Primary Prevention - Preventing or minimising the risk of problems arising,

usually through universal policies e.g. education; health promotion; good housing

management and tenancy support.

Secondary Prevention - Targeting individuals or groups at high risk or showing

early signs of a particular problem to try to stop it occurring e.g. early referral to

family or youth support services.

Tertiary Prevention - Intervening once there is a problem to stop it getting worse

and to redress the situation e.g. writing off rent arrears to avoid eviction.

Acute Spending - Spending to manage the impact of a strongly negative situation

- does little or nothing to prevent problems recurring in future e.g. cost of

temporary housing when made homelessness; long term cost of supporting

children who have suffered Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) as a result of

loss of home.

Currently much of the focus of activity in the homelessness field is at the acute end, and if we are to achieve our vision, then our approach has to both support those currently homeless into accommodation, whilst also significantly reducing the flow of individuals and families falling into homelessness by investing more in primary, secondary and tertiary prevention. Our goals are therefore as follows:

Immediate – Supporting those currently in crisis; Short / medium term - Shifting the focus to true prevention and rapid re-housing; Long term – Maintaining a system in which homelessness is rare, brief and non-recurrent.

Support for those already in crisis There are a number of key questions we have to fully address in order to effectively support those already homeless or at the point of crisis. Firstly, we need to better understand the scale of the problem to ensure an adequate response. The statutory homelessness statistics provide part of the picture, but this only accounts for those individuals presenting to services. We know there are far more individuals who are hidden from services, ‘sofa surfing’ or in temporary and insecure accommodation. Improving homelessness data is therefore key. Another key question is around the effectiveness of interventions to support people into accommodation - it is vital we support effective and evidence based interventions. The Centre for Homelessness Impact is co-ordinating efforts across the UK to improve the evidence base on what works, and we are linking with them to assess and improve the impact of what we are doing in Wales. This will enable Welsh Government to provide clearer guidance to local authorities on the effectiveness of interventions and assist them in their commissioning of services. We need to enable local authorities to take a single strategic view on homelessness in their local area and to genuinely work collaboratively with other public sector bodies and the third sector to address it. The move to a single Housing Support Grant, encompassing Supporting People and Homelessness Prevention, within a Housing Support Programme, is providing the opportunity for such an approach. It will require a

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single costed strategy at a local level and ensure a continuum of services to most effectively address local need. Whilst services are commissioned at a local level, we also need to encourage innovation across Wales and Welsh Government will continue to develop national programmes which strive to bring proven approaches, such as Housing First to Wales. The Housing First Programme is aimed at assisting individuals with some of the most complex needs and given its resource intensive nature, is not going to be suitable for all. Housing First therefore needs to be part of a whole-system approach, focused firstly on prevention and where homelessness cannot be prevented, on the rapid re-housing of individuals into long term accommodation and moving away from the use of temporary accommodation. A key aspect of a whole-system approach is the wrap-around support for individuals, particularly in respect of health services. This requires alternative service delivery models jointly owned and funded by relevant public services, including mental health, substance misuse, primary care, community safety and housing, to ensure specialist multi-disciplinary teams support individuals to address their needs and take a trauma informed approach. A group at high risk of homelessness and often in a crisis situation are prison leavers, and fully implementing the prisoner pathway in partnership with HMPPS and local authorities is key to preventing a continual cycle between prison and homelessness. True prevention and rapid re-housing A truly preventative approach begins before an individual or family even becomes at risk of homelessness – it is about a whole system approach and involves investing in primary and secondary prevention. Our approach to tackling youth homelessness takes such an approach. Primary approaches to prevention are well underway and supported through education reform in pursuit of the four purposes of our new curriculum and the introduction of the whole school approach to mental health and wellbeing, More targeted secondary prevention work, through the youth service and in collaboration with a range of partners, aims to identify and support young people who start to show some of the risk factors that can lead to homelessness. Investing in services at this early stage to support young people and their families will address issues before they escalate. We are also committed to ensure individuals successfully transition from the care system into independent living and that no one is released from the secure estate or discharged from hospital into a homelessness situation. In the housing sphere, it is primarily about increasing housing supply and choice. We are committed to building social housing at scale and pace. It is also vital we improve access to, and the quality of, the Private Rented Sector. All too often housing management, supported accommodation and homelessness services do not work effectively together. Effective housing management is the starting point with good allocation policies which support the most vulnerable and ensure households are placed in the right accommodation and community with the right support – setting them up for success from the outset. Effective housing management also involves taking a trauma informed approach and supporting households to maintain their tenancies and

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avoid unnecessary evictions. Working with local authorities, Registered Social Landlords and the Private Rented Sector to reduce the level of evictions and increase security of tenure for all – with a goal of no evictions into homelessness from Registered Social Landlords.

In a preventative environment the focus of activity should be on housing management and housing support services, to prevent the majority of households reaching the point of requiring statutory homelessness services. Rare, Brief and Non-recurrent Whilst resources at present are focused on supporting those currently homeless or at crisis point, a shift in approach to earlier prevention will, over time, support a shift in the focus of resources. Resources will move away from the provision of emergency and temporary accommodation, and necessarily the number of hostels and emergency shelters will be able to reduce over time as demand on those services falls. Resources will instead be able to support long term, suitable housing solutions, as well as support services which intervene early and equip, support and enable individuals to live independent and prosperous lives. Our vision is a Wales where homelessness is a rarity and when it does occur, it is brief, the individual or household is supported back into accommodation quickly and sufficiently supported so that they do not fall back into homelessness; setting households up to succeed not to fail All public services and the third sector have a role to play in delivering this vision. All Welsh Government Ministers are signed up to this approach and we are asking all local authorities, Health Boards, RSLs and others to commit to this as well.

Housing Support Services

Homelessness Services

Housing Manage

ment

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CABINET PAPER (Homelessness Strategic Policy Statement) Annex C

Pledge for Prevention

We want a Wales where everyone has a safe and suitable home that supports them to lead a healthy and prosperous life. Where homelessness does happen, it should be rare, brief, and unrepeated. We pledge to work together to prevent homelessness and provide support that takes account of/is sensitive to people’s individual needs and circumstances When it does happen, we pledge to support people to thrive in safe, suitable homes and not fall back into homelessness. Together we can prevent homelessness. Together we can end homelessness. Signature(s) xxxxxxxxxxx Organisation: xxxxxxxxxxx Look and Feel of similar Pledges A couple of examples of recent Pledges include the White Ribbon Campaign, Stop Suicide and the mental health campaign, Time to Change Wales... These are included below.

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Cardiff and Vale University Health Board sign the Time to Change Wales Young

People’s Pledge

An example of the Time to Change Wales Employer Pledge – Welsh Government signs