Tuesday 17 October 2017

Research into homelessness

Homelessness

We looked into various charities who support people who are going to become homeless or who are homeless, they had a lot of useful information about the different types of homelessness and just general statistics.

(1) Crisis

Crisis is a charity that supports homeless people and tries to get them into housing, they do it through; education, training and support with things like housing, employment and health.
They help homeless people find and keep rented housing, by working with landlords to ensure there is a strong supply of places to live as well as educating people so that they can rent places successfully.
On average people who are living on the streets die in their late 40's
Homeless people are 9 times more likely to take their own life 
People on the streets are 17 times more likely to be victims of violence 
Latest figures showed in 2016 4,134 people (a 16% increase) slept rough compared to 2015

Types of homelessness


  • Rough sleeping
This is what most people when they think of homeless people think, a lot of the people sleeping rough on the streets suffer from multiple physical and mental health issues. These people are also in a greater danger of violence than the general public. 


  • Statutory Homelessness
Every year tens of thousands of people apply to the local authority for help in securing a home. To be legally defined as homeless you either lack a secure place where you are entitled to live, or you are not reasonably able to stay there. In order to receive assistance there are further criteria you need to meet. The local authority may initially provide temporary accommodation to households who meet the criteria (mainly families with children). 

  • Hidden homelessness
People who are not entitled for help with their housing or don't approach their local council for help are not counted in the official statistics. Last year 59,090 households were accepted as homeless in England.

Salvation Army

(2) Salvation Army is a charity who's message is on the bible, their motivation is "the love of God as revealed in Jesus Christ, which can transform people’s lives and change them for the better"
They believe that people "consist of body, mind and soul, which means that they have both social, physical and spiritual needs "
Their life houses offer out emergency accommodation which is safe and secure nightly to people who have nowhere to stay, the staff on duty are there to support the individual who is staying there the night. 


Center point

(3) Centrepoint gives housing and support for young people in London, Manchester, Yorkshire and the North East, they aim to give homeless people a future and want to end youth homelessness.

Homeless link

(4) Is a membership charity for organisations that work directly with people who have become homeless all over England. They work to make services better, as well as campaigning for policy changes that will help to end homelessness.
(5) New duties that have been put onto the local authorities to prevent homelessness in 2018 will be supported by Homeless Link.
In April 2017 the Homeless reduction bill formally became an act of parliament, it places new duties on local authorities trying to prevent homelessness of families/single people regardless of their priority.
"Key measures in the Act include:
  • An extension of the period during which an authority should treat someone as threatened with homelessness from 28 to 56 days...These provisions represent a shift in focus to early intervention, and aim to encourage local housing authorities to act quickly and proactively, addressing some concerns that some previously only intervened at crisis point.
  • A new duty to prevent homelessness for all eligible applicants threatened with homelessness, regardless of priority need. This extends the help available to people not in priority need, with local housing authorities supporting them to either stay in their accommodation or help them find somewhere to live and should mean fewer households reach a crisis situation.
  • A new duty to relieve homelessness for all eligible homeless applicants, regardless of priority need. This help could be, for example, the provision of a rent deposit or debt advice. Those who have a priority need will be provided with interim accommodation whilst the Local Housing Authority carries out the reasonable steps. 
  • A new duty on public services to notify a local authority if they come into contact with someone they think may be homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. It is hoped that this measure will ensure that a person’s housing situation is considered when they come into contact with wider public services, and encourage public services to build strong relationships based on local need and circumstances."
English councils will be receiving a total of £61 million in funding across this  2017-2019 to help meet the costs this legislation will bring. 

(6) Whilst doing my research I found an event coming up for world homeless day through homeless care's website. We started by emailing Kent Messenger as we were told by fellow course mates they had information about the event.










We filmed the conference on October 10th successfully.


Pathways to independence beyond homelessness

(7) "We provide supported housing for vulnerable people, so that they can work through the problems that have prevented them from securing a permanent home. Places in Pathway’s accommodation projects are allocated on the basis that a homeless individual has support needs that they are willing to address."
A "rough sleeper count" is taken yearly but it doesn't truly reflect the amount of rough sleepers because not all rough sleepers are on the streets
"Local authorities only have to house people who become unintentionally homeless and are in specific “priority need” groups, so they are not able to support everyone who becomes homeless and as a result there are many people who “fall through the net”."
There is an increase in the amount of young people utilizing these services possibly due to increases in areas such as mental/physical health issues, drug and alcohol problems, crime and financial problems caused by benefits reductions and tougher sanctions. 
"Welfare Benefits have undergone some major changes such as the under 35 rules for Housing Benefit, which state if you are aged under 35 and rent from a private landlord, the maximum housing benefit you can get is the same as the rate you would get for renting a single room in a shared house. This rule is known as the shared accommodation rate and applies to people who make new claims for housing benefit."

Porchlight

(8) Tom Gifford set up Porchlight in '74, it's aim of encouraging the local community to help homeless people. Now it supports 5000 people a year. 
We call Cath from Porchlight with the intention to get an interview with a Porchlight representative but Cath was not able to help us.

**LINK TO AN ARTICLE ABOUT A HOMELESS MAN BEING MURDERED** 
**LINK TO AN ARTICLE ABOUT HOMELESSNESS**
**LINK TO ARTICLE ABOUT MAIDSTONE HOMELESS PLANS**
**LINK TO A ARTICLE ABOUT A MAIDSTONE CHARITY**
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(1) Crisis "About Homelessness" https://www.crisis.org.uk/ending-homelessness/about-homelessness/

(2) Salvation Army "Homelessness" https://www.salvationarmy.org.uk/rough-sleeping-street-homelessness

(3) Center Point
"About us" https://centrepoint.org.uk/about-us/

(4) Homeless link "About us" http://www.homeless.org.uk/about-us

(5) Homeless Link "Homelessness Reduction Act receives Royal Assent" 04/17 http://www.homeless.org.uk/connect/blogs/2017/apr/27/homelessness-reduction-act-receives-royal-assent

(6) Homecare "World homeless care" http://www.homelesscare.org.uk/

(7) Pathways to independence beyond homelessness "Homelessness in Medway & Kent" http://www.beyondhomelessness.org.uk/medway-kent/about-us/homelessness-in-medway-kent/

(8) Porchlight "About us" http://www.porchlight.org.uk/what-we-do/about-us



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