Glasgow Homelessness Network Conference 2011

Marion Gibbs

Scottish Government

2012 Homelessness Target

• All unintentionally homeless households will be entitled to settled accommodation

• Removal of “priority need” test

Progress – 2010/11

• 88% of homelessness assessments in PN – increase of 2% since 2009/10

• 2 LAs – 100% throughout the year;

• 10 LAs – over 90% of homelessness assessments in PN

• 17 LAs – between 80 – 90% in PN

• 1 LA – between 70 – 80% in PN

• 2 LAs – under 70% in PN

SG/COSLA Joint 2012 Steering Group

• Membership – SG, COSLA, SOLACE, ALACHO and SFHA

• Met since October 2009 – initial focus on young people and development of housing options/prevention

Four Key Objectives

• Corporate buy-in and joint working

• Prevention of homelessness

• Access to other stock – RSL and PRS

• Investment in housing

What are Housing Options?

• Introduces a culture change – move form process driven to outcome focused

• Looks at all the options available – and can cover more than just housing

• Involves the household in the decisions about them

• Crucially important that it does not undermine legislation – safety net provision

Housing options “hubs”

• Five across Scotland – all 32 LAs and partners • Seminars in August/September 2010 involving

LAs and RSLs; national seminar August 2011• Development of action plans – now all agreed

and funding being released – on website• All at different stages and all with a slightly

different focus but all have aim of continuing/moving towards a housing options approach and the prevention of homelessness

Glasgow and West of Scotland

• West hub: East Dunbartonshire, West Dunbartonshire, Glasgow, North Lanarkshire, South Lanarkshire, East Renfrewshire, Renfrewshire Councils, GHA

• Action plan on website

• Glasgow – housing options work

Other work

• Cross sector supported accommodation working group – report and implementation group being established

• Health and homelessness

• National co-ordinators

• Housing support consultation

• Other legislative requirements – 2012 SSI

Question

• How best to promote the prevention of homelessness, and the development of the housing options approach, in Glasgow?