A presentation given by Isobel Anderson, UK at a FEANTSA Research Conference on "Access to Housing for Homeless People in Europe", York, September 2012

1. University of Stirling,
Scotland
Everyone is deserving: the
significance of Scotland’s 2012
homelessness commitment
Isobel Anderson, School of
Applied Social Science, University
of Stirling, Scotland, UK
European Research Conference
Access to Housing for Homeless People in Europe
York, 21st September 2012

2. Outline (Research for Shelter Scotland)
 Context – the Scottish homelessness legislation
 2000-2 Review and ‘the 2012 homelessness
commitment’
 Assessing progress - methods
 Ten years on – progress at national level and
local perspectives
 Implementation – successes, constraints and
challenges
 How significant?
European Research Conference
Access to Housing for Homeless People in Europe
York, 21st September 2012

3. Scottish homelessness legislation (1977,
1987 Acts)
 Duty on local authority to secure housing if:
1. Household is homeless by legal definition
2. Household is in priority need
3. Household has not become homeless
intentionally
4. Household has connection with local authority
 Usually ‘social housing’ – council or housing
association/registered social landlord (non-
profit sector)
European Research Conference
Access to Housing for Homeless People in Europe
York, 21st September 2012

4. Who was in priority need (deserving)?
2005 Code of guidance - household contains:
 Pregnant woman (or recent miscarriage abortion) and/or dependent
children
 Vulnerable person: old age; mental illness; personality disorder;
learning disability; physical disability; chronic ill health; discharged
from hospital, prison or forces; ‘other special reason’.
 Homeless in emergency: fire, flood, disaster
 Age 16-17
 Age 18-20 & at risk of: sexual or financial exploitation: serious
alcohol/drug misuse
 Age 18-20 and been looked after by state
 Risk of domestic violence
 Risk/victim of harassment/violence: religion; sexual orientation;
race/ethnic identity.
European Research Conference
Access to Housing for Homeless People in Europe
York, 21st September 2012

5. Who was not in priority need?
(undeserving)
 Adults/Adult households aged 21- 60/65
who did have any of the priority need
characteristics
 Mainly single people of working age,
mainly men
 Discretionary decision making – excluding
some who should have been priority
need?
European Research Conference
Access to Housing for Homeless People in Europe
York, 21st September 2012

6. What is the 2012 homelessness commitment?
 1999 – housing policy and homelessness devolved
to Scottish Parliament
 2000-2002 – Homelessness Task Force Review
 Evidence base – questioned legitimacy of priority need test
 Recommended its abolition
 Homelessness, etc. Scotland Act 2003, set target
date for 2012
 ‘Rights possessed by those assessed as being in
priority need should be extended to all those
assessed as homeless and the priority need
distinction should be eliminated’
Recognises – everyone needs a home (deserving)
European Research Conference
Access to Housing for Homeless People in Europe
York, 21st September 2012

7. Assessing progress - methods
 Review of literature
 Review of legislative, policy and practice
change
 Review of national homelessness statistics
 Qualitative discussion groups with local
authorities, housing associations,
homelessness NGOs
 Observation of policy and practice
communities – ten years
European Research Conference
Access to Housing for Homeless People in Europe
York, 21st September 2012

8. Ten years on – national progress
March 2011-April 2012
 91% of applicants assessed as homeless awarded
priority need (see table – next slide)
 Single people (26-60/65) now largest priority group
 73% priority homeless receive local authority, housing
association or private let
 Temporary accommodation: three-fold increase since
2002; includes ordinary social housing; waiting times not
clear.
 Share of social housing lettings to homeless households
= 43% (increased acceptances, fewer vacancies)
European Research Conference
Access to Housing for Homeless People in Europe
York, 21st September 2012

9. Ten years on: national progress
Jan – March 2012 % homeless households assessed
Number of Scottish local as in priority need
authorities
14 (Priority need test abolished) 100
9 90-99
6 80-89
1 70-79
2 60-69
TOTAL = 32 National Average = 91
European Research Conference
Access to Housing for Homeless People in Europe
York, 21st September 2012

10. Ten years on – council perspectives
 We have met the target…massive
commitment…increased resources and
service review
 Not met target – focused on prevention
 Improved needs assessment procedures
 Lack of settled accommodation, long
periods in temporary accommodation
 Private sector – not equivalent solution
European Research Conference
Access to Housing for Homeless People in Europe
York, 21st September 2012

11. Ten years on – housing association
perspectives
 Broadly supportive – debates about
conflict with other applicant groups
 Reviewed procedures for managing
referrals from local authorities
 Implemented flexible lettings policies –
challenged by Westminster policy change
 Concern about London-centric welfare
reform
European Research Conference
Access to Housing for Homeless People in Europe
York, 21st September 2012

12. Implementation: contextual change
 Political Power – Scotland 2007; UK 2010
 Post 2008 economic crisis – housing market/system
 Policy change in Scotland (devolved powers):
 Homelessness prevention, Housing Options
 Greater emphasis on private rented sector
 Debate – who is social housing for?
 Policy change in UK (reserved powers)
 Punitive housing benefit changes
 Wider welfare reform
 Austerity measures
European Research Conference
Access to Housing for Homeless People in Europe
York, 21st September 2012

13. Conclusions: successes and constraints
 Considerable progress towards abolishing
priority need test
 Provision of settled accommodation a much
greater challenge
 Scottish Government drives local practice –
policy shift without legal change
 Risk of losing social housing as effective solution
 UK welfare reform undermining progress
Scottish approach
European Research Conference
Access to Housing for Homeless People in Europe
York, 21st September 2012

14. How significant?
 Social justice – ‘right to housing’?
 Removes discrimination, increased equality in access
to housing
 Policy discussion highly technical, little about vision
 Social cohesion – impact on meeting other housing
needs?
 Rational, evidence based policy over ten years?
 Survived political change – in principal
 Incremental tweaks – policy shifts, policy subversion?
 Moving forward? Balance strong legal framework with
effective prevention?
European Research Conference
Access to Housing for Homeless People in Europe
York, 21st September 2012