formerly homeless people’s perceptions and experiences of resettlement into social housing and...
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Formerly homeless people’s perceptions and experiences of resettlement into social
housing and private-rented tenancies
Tony Warnes, Maureen Crane and Sarah CowardUniversity of Sheffield
Regional Studies Association Conference,
Global Recession: Regional Impacts on Housing, Jobs, Health and Wellbeing
27 November 2009, London
Aims of the presentation
To describe the FOR-HOME study
To profile those resettled into local authority (LA), housing
association (HA) and private-rented (PRS) tenancies
To profile the resettlement accommodation and
experiences during the first six months
To examine the implications of the findings for two inter-
related current housing and welfare policy initiatives:
• Ever stronger assertion of the Supporting People principle that
support for homeless people is limited to two-years, i.e. generally
hostel residence should be no more than two years
• Current drive to promote private-rented sector tenancies for resettling
homeless people
Aim: to produce authoritative and longitudinal information
about: (a) the experiences of homeless people who are
resettled, and (b) the factors that influence the outcomes.
To assess the relative contributions to settledness, tenancy
sustainment and achieved independence of:
* the resettled person’s characteristics
* the resettlement preparation and follow-up support
* the condition and amenities of the accommodation
* events and experiences post-resettlement
Funded by the UK Economic and Social Research Council
The FOR-HOME study
Sample and data collection 400 single homeless people in two clusters: London, and
Nottingham / Leeds / Sheffield (Notts/Yorks).
Resettled into permanent accommodation by six homelessness sector organisations. Representative of those resettled by the organisations in 2006.
Semi-structured interviews immediately before being resettled, and after 6 and 18 months. Interviews from June 2007 to November 2009. Key-worker completed questionnaire at baseline.
Information collected includes: accommodation histories; education, training and employment; personal problems; income and expenditure; use of time; family and social networks; help and support before and after moving.
Partner organisations
The policy and service provision contexts
Photo ‘Leeds high density housing’ by Lynne Kirton
Changes in Supporting People
The programme grant for 2008/9 was £1.66 bn (n.b. (£1.8 bn in 2003/4). Changed to an ‘unringfenced grant’ with no conditions. Pressure to reduce spending further. Assertion of ‘two-year’ principle.
Changing the roles of hostels for homeless people
Consistent with hostel capital investment programme Places for Change
Promoting the role of the private sector
Long-term shortage of affordable move-on accomm-odation has led to strong support for resettlement into private-tenancies
Policies driving faster resettlement from hostels
Profiles of Profiles of those resettledthose resettled
The respondents’ characteristics
400 respondents:
74% men; 26% women
56% in London; 44% in Nottingham / Leeds / Sheffield
24% aged 16-24; 62% aged 25-49; 14% aged 50+
60% White British / Irish; 40% other ethnic groups
18% homeless up to 12 months; 14% homeless 10+ years
Most reliant on social security benefits: only 4% working full-time and 5% part-time
Main reasons for becoming homeless
Reason Men % Women % All %
Relationship breakdown 21.3 20.2 21.0
Conflicts with parents 11.8 29.829.8 16.5
Conflicts with other rels/friends 8.8 10.6 9.3
Drug problems 15.9 8.7 14.0
Alcohol problems 16.216.2 1.9 12.5
Mental health problems 9.8 7.7 9.3
Financial problems 11.8 6.7 10.5
After leaving statutory care 1.4 3.8 2.0
Fleeing own country 3.4 8.7 4.8
Death of parents, spouse or other 8.1 4.9 7.3
Leaving correctional institution 9.8 3.8 8.3
Respondents’ problems and housing experiences
18% literacy difficulties
37% physical health problems
62% mental health problems in last five years
33% alcohol problems in last five years
56% used illegal drugs in last five years
45% had debts
52% had previously lived alone in a tenancy; 33% for two or more years
The resettlement The resettlement accommodationaccommodation
Social Housing, Lenton, Nottingham
Housing tenure by region (%)
Tenure London Notts / Yorks Total
Local authority 30 71 48
Housing association 54 18 38
Private rented 17 11 14
Sample sizes (223) (177) (400)
No significant ‘background’ differences across the three tenures:
• by age, gender and ethnicity
• by the main reasons for current homeless episode, … including alcohol, drug and mental health problems … or by debt
• by previous frequency and duration of homelessness
Who went into the different tenures?
Type of accommodation by tenure
43
22
33 31
2 4
26
63
76
0
20
40
60
80
Local authority Housing association Private-rented
Per
cen
tag
es
Self-contained flat Studio flat Bedsit
Type of accommodation by region
56
36
16
85
79
0
20
40
60
80
London Notts/Yorks
Pe
rce
nta
ge
s
Self-contained flat Studio flat Bedsit
Amount of choice by type of accommodation
47
38
13
2225 26
31
37
61
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
Self-contained flat Studio flat Bedsit
Per
cen
tag
es
A lot A little None
Readiness to move
Most respondents felt ready to move – only one per cent had doubts.
Many had worries, however, and wondered if they would cope – 25% anticipated problems with finances and paying bills; 19% with loneliness; and 12% with occupying their time.
Other concerns: the practicalities of moving and furnishing the accommodation; staying off drink or drugs and away from other users; coping alone without support from hostel staff.
…
The first six monthsThe first six months
Difficulties of setting up new tenancy
Most moved to unfurnished accommodation
Once offered a tenancy, 22% had to move very quickly
(within 7 days), and another 28% within 14 days. 19%
had 30+ days to prepare
80% received grant or loan to help them set up home –
mainly Community Care Grant or Budgeting Loan.
Those who moved quickly, insufficient time for grants
to come through.
Basic furniture missing when moved in (%)
ItemLocal
authorityHousing
associationPrivate-rented
Bed 65 52 47
Cooker 86 64 11
Fridge 81 60 13
Carpets / floor covering 85 54 2
Common problems with the condition of the accommodation
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
Heating, boilers Windows Dampness Leaks, flooding Dirty communalareas
Local authority
Housing association
Private rented
Rent and utility payments
Rents varied greatly, from £47 to £300 per week. Rents two to four times higher in private-rented housing.
Most respondents entitled to Housing Benefit (HB) for all or most of their rent.
During the first 6 months, 48% had rent arrears. 22% still had arrears at 6 months. Early arrears often due to HB administration problems. Continuation of arrears due to personal factors.
63% coped well with utility payments. At 6 months, 25% had utility debts.
Debts by tenure
44 46 44 45
6054
73
59
0
15
30
45
60
75
90
L.A. H.A. PRS All
Pe
rce
nta
ge
wit
h d
eb
ts
When resettled
After 6 months
Amount (value) of debt at six months
0
20
40
60
No debts < £500 > £1,000
Pe
rce
nta
ge
of
res
po
nd
en
ts
Local authority
Housingassociation
Private-rented
Contact with a tenancy support worker
79
89
75
43
59
35
0
20
40
60
80
100
Local authority Housing association Private-rented
Pe
rce
nta
ge
of
res
po
nd
en
ts
Expected contact Had contact
Extent to which benefited from tenancy support (those who received support)
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
Local authority Housingassociation
Private-rented
Per
cen
tag
e o
f re
spo
nd
ents
A lot
A little
Not at all
HousingHousing outcomes at outcomes at six monthssix months
Housing outcomes at 6 months by region (%)
Outcome London Notts/Yorks Total
In original accommodation 89 82 87
Moved to another tenancy 3 4 3
Evicted / abandoned 3 7 5
Died, in prison or rehab 1 4 2
Not known 4 3 3
Sample sizes 223 177 400
Housing outcomes at 6 months by tenure (%)
OutcomeLocal
authorityHousing assoc.
Private rented All
In original accommodation
86 93 6868 87
Moved to another tenancy 2 2 1111 3
Evicted / abandoned 5 3 1111 5
Died, in prison or rehab 3 0 4 2
Not known 4 2 7 3
Sample sizes 191 152 57 400
Housing outcomes at 6 months by type of accommodation (%)
OutcomeSelf-contained
flatStudio
flatBedsit All
In original accommodation
95 98 7474 94
Moved to another tenancy
2 1 2222 3
Evicted / abandoned 3 1 4 3
Sample sizes 234 99 23 356
Thought of giving up tenancy (those still housed)
OutcomeLocal
authorityHousing assoc.
Private rented
All
P e r c e n t a g e s
Yes, still am 23 24 36 25
Yes, but no longer 13 9 5 10
No 64 67 59 65
Sample sizes 160 140 39 339
Satisfaction with the Satisfaction with the move and settlednessmove and settledness
Social Housing, Lenton, Nottingham
The ‘Right Move Scale’
Has eight items including:
1. I am ready to take the next step and move to my own accommodation.
2. I am pleased with the accommodation to which I will move. ... ... …
8. Having my own place will enable me to structure my life and become involved in meaningful activities.
Scored: 1 ‘Yes, definitely’, 0.5 ‘I think so’, -0.5 ‘Not really’, -1 ‘Definitely not’ and ‘Don’t know’
Administered at baseline, 6 months and 18 months.
Gives composite picture of relative advantages and disadvantages of the different tenancies. Scores can range from -8 to +8.
‘Right move’ score at baseline and at 6 months by tenure
Local
authorityHousing
AsstnPrivate rented
All
Baseline 4.7 4.9 4.5 4.8
At 6 months 4.2 4.4 3.7 4.2
Note: Scores can range between -8 and +8
‘Right move’ score at baseline and at six months by type of accommodation
Self-contained
flatStudio
flatBedsit All
Baseline 4.8 4.8 3.9 4.8
At 6 months
4.3 4.1 3.5 4.2
Note: Scores can range between -8 and +8
Concluding Concluding evaluationevaluation
How successful is current resettlement from hostels?
At six months …
87% still in original accommodation, 3% moved to new tenancy, only 5% are known to be homeless again. Quite low rate of returns to homelessness
The great majority still housed, but many struggling financially and have rent arrears or other debts.
Many without basic furniture, some without heating or hot water, and many not eating healthily
Many have experienced a big change in housing-related support, from ‘considerable’ while in hostels to ‘little or none’ after moving. Many organisations have no funding to provide tenancy support.
Is resettlement into private rented sector tenancies satisfactory?
PRS resettlements enable people to move quickly out of hostels
PRS tenancies generally have less space, more domestic equipment from day one, and bring a raised risk of debt accumulation, stemming in some cases from HB administration, and in others from the comparatively high rents
PRS tenants least likely to say they were ‘settled’ and most likely to be thinking of moving on
Conclusions
• The policies: (a) to reduce returns to homelessness, and (b) to reduce the duration of Supporting People funding are to a degree antagonistic.
• Avoidable stress, discomfort, settlement failures and housing dissatisfaction are being caused
• The ‘move on quickly’ policy does not sufficiently take into account the special disadvantages of many single homeless people:
● never lived independently before
● few possessions, especially furniture
● little or no family or friends support
● still dealing with the problems or trauma that led to … … … … … homelessness
Our thanks to …
All the respondents who participated in this study and willingly gave three interviews.
Ruby Fu, Camilla Mercer and Louise Joly who have helped immensely with running the project and coding the data.
The freelance interviewers – Gary Bellamy, Paul Gilsenan, Louise Joly and John Miles.
Members of the Management Committee: David Fisher (Broadway), Caroline Day and Jennifer Monfort (Centrepoint), Peter Radage and Rachel Harding (Framework), Julie Robinson and Tony Beech (St Anne’s), Simon Hughes and George Miller (St Mungo’s), and John Crowther and Debra Ives (Thames Reach), and to all their colleagues who have been Link Workers or have otherwise assisted with recruitment and tracking.
Contact details
Tony Warnes: [email protected]
Maureen Crane: [email protected]
Sarah Coward: [email protected]
www.shef.ac.uk/sisa/research/fields/homeless