Homelessness Strategy 2020-2025

Challenges

• Cuts in funding for services provided by partners - Supporting People Services including Floating Support and Accommodation Based Services, Lancashire Wellbeing Service, Youth Services
• Impact of welfare benefit changes-including sanctions, affordability if deductions are made or advances being paid back, length of time to process claims and money not being paid direct to landlords
• Waiting lists for services and Dis engagement because of processes - mental health, dual diagnosis, lack of support for chaotic lifestyles, lack of support in general
• Lack of suitable accommodation - particularly for young people following changes to supported housing, lack of shared housing, 1-bedroom housing, housing for complex needs, those with an offending background, and affordability in general
• Issues with joint protocol arrangements

Improvements / Changes identified

• A need for safe places to go and intermediary accommodation with different packages of support brought in
• HRA has increased involvement of housing officers but has not increased the actual housing options available
• Increased Support
• Better communication and partnership working
• Co-location of mental health services in other areas seen as a positive

National context

The following national policies guide and shape the delivery of local homelessness services:

• Homelessness Reduction Act 2017 - came into force in April 2018 and has specified new ways of working to assist homeless households
• National Rough Sleeping strategy - The Government is committed to halving rough sleeping by 2022 and ending it by 2027
• Welfare Reform Act 2012 - includes the introduction of Universal Credit