SUPPORTING PEOPLE TO MOVE ON

SUPPORTING PEOPLE TO MOVE ON

OBJECTIVES Why re-housing is a priority Where to start Social Housing vs. Private Housing Allocations & Lettings Homelessness Local Authority CBLs Deposits and References

WHY IS IT A PRIORITY? Ensuring Service Users achieve their goals long or short term Promotion of SUs independence and living skills Efficient use of existing services Allow a space to become available for other Service Users Allow move on from hospital / residential beds Some service users may not be suitable for a service

CREATIVE SUPPORT S MOVE ON POLICY Specific Corporate Policy Promoting Independence & Move-On Policy A high priority will be given to the aim of moving service users on to less supported housing. This will ensure that services are used as sufficiently as possible by the target client group as well as ensuring individuals are enabled to live as independently as possible.

CREATIVE SUPPORT S MOVE ON POLICY As part of a SU s support plan, housing aspirations should be identified and reflected at earliest opportunity. Plan should be reviewed regularly in order to review progress and achievement of goals. Promotion of independence a key objective and less supported housing may be a key goal. May need to involve other agencies involved in the SUs support. Projects may build up specific partnerships with agencies who we regularly work with. *New Move On Plan being developed.

SUPPORTING PEOPLE Supporting People (SP) requirement to provide information about service users (SUs) moving on from supported accommodation in particular positive moves. Particular focus on short term services where tenants are expected to move on within 2 years. SUPPORTING PEOPLE INDICATORS SPI 2 Utilisation SPI 4 Throughput KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS KPI 2 Planned departures (short term housing) KPI 1 Maintained independence (long term housing)

SUPPORTING PEOPLE PERFORMANCE INDICATORS

SUPPORTING PEOPLE Supporting People think support staff do not always realise the importance of assisting people to move on. Validation meetings with Manchester SP last year highlighted that providers often lack information e.g. about private sector tenancies. Impact on funding if we are not seen to be complying with our contract or not providing the expected service. Affects our relationships with other agencies who would usually access our services.

WHAT WE NEED YOU TO DO Must be made clear to tenants in all services (not just short term ones) that our projects are in most cases not intended to be permanent homes. Must be clarified from the start. Within short term services support Service Users to apply / register for re-housing as soon as possible. Work with SUs to look at what sort of housing they might want to live in in the future. Ensure that SUs have the necessary life skills to enable them to live in the type of accommodation they want to live in. Support the SUs to look in the geographical areas they are interested in.

WHERE TO START Support Plans. See also, new Move On Plan. Contact HA s especially current landlord if appropriate. Sometimes we have partnerships with the HA s we work with in order to help our tenants move on. Tenant services Authority (TSA) Website. Supporting People websites Service Directory. Register with other HA s (usually there is a common register) and local authorities. Contact private landlords if the tenant wants to move away from HA s and local authority housing. Contact Creative Support s other services if appropriate. Creative Support s Referral Service if appropriate.

WHERE WE SERVED NOTICE If we serve notice on a tenant we still have to support them to find alternative accommodation. They should be given priority under housing need. Encourage them visit the local housing office sooner rather than later take copy of notice with you. Project staff should keep a list of advocacy services for the SU to use. We can t evict someone without a court order. So even if we serve notice the end date isn t necessarily the date the person will have to leave.

SOCIAL vs. PRIVATE HOUSING SOCIAL HOUSING The term covers housing owned either by the local authority or housing associations, which is rented out. PRIVATE HOUSING Is essentially accommodation which is owned by individual landlords (or property companies) and rented out by them to tenants.

SOCIAL vs. PRIVATE HOUSING SOCIAL HOUSING Is usually: Cheaper More secure More accountable (e.g. TSA) Longer waiting lists Limited Choice / Availability Less problems with Housing Benefit

SOCIAL vs. PRIVATE HOUSING PRIVATE HOUSING Is usually: More expensive More choice Shorter waiting lists Less secure Possibly less reliable e.g. repairs Possibility of problems with HB and LHA

SOCIAL vs. PRIVATE HOUSING SOCIAL HOUSING - HOUSING ASSOCIATIONS Many take nominations from local authority register Tend to be cheaper than private but more expensive than council Each can have a different allocation / prioritisation system Usually Assured Tenancies - security

SOCIAL vs. PRIVATE HOUSING PRIVATE HOUSING Usually Assured Short-hold 6 months Usually have to pay a deposit New bond schemes are available from local authorities Rent is usually higher Less security of tenure

WHERE TO LOOK SOCIAL HOUSING Tenant Services Authority Local Authority registers e.g. Manchester Housing Register Local Authority Supporting People directories PRIVATE HOUSING Shop windows Local Papers, magazines, advertisement papers Accommodation agencies *(may charge if find you a home)

ALLOCATIONS & LETTINGS Some groups given reasonable preference: Homeless People People in unsatisfactory housing conditions People with particular medical / welfare needs People needing to move to a particular area on hardship grounds May also consider : Financial Resources Local Connection Unacceptable Behaviour

ALLOCATIONS & LETTINGS Different authorities / HA s use different systems depending on policy and priority. Could be: Choice Based Points Based Band Based Date Order / Time Based

ALLOCATIONS & LETTINGS CHOICE BASED LETTINGS (CBL) Allows applicants to apply for vacancies which are advertised widely in neighbourhood e.g. websites. Applicants can see full range available and apply for property to which they are matched. Priority given to those with urgent needs but will try to allocate to those waiting longest. Communities and Local Government are keen to develop this system as pilot schemes proved successful. Tenants can still apply to individual HA waiting lists.

ALLOCATIONS & LETTINGS POINTS BASED LETTINGS Applicants are awarded points to reflect their current need and their future housing need. Little or no information about properties available to let. Are complex and not always transparent.

ALLOCATIONS & LETTINGS BAND BASED LETTINGS A system that groups applicants into a number of bands that reflect different levels of housing need or relative priorities within a housing authority s allocation scheme. Have to consider reasonable preference. Generally speaking banding schemes are simpler for applicants to understand and simpler for housing authorities to operate than points-based systems.

ALLOCATIONS & LETTINGS TIME BASED LETTINGS Some CBLs prioritise by time waiting with those in the reasonable preference categories being given time limited priority cards. This system would identify applicants who fall within more than one of the reasonable preference categories and then ensure further priority is given where appropriate.

PRIORITIES In deciding their allocation scheme and which tenants to prioritise reasonable preference has to be given to: Homeless people Those given notice to leave current property People suffering violence or harassment in current home People with medical problems affected by their home People whose home is in a very poor condition People whose home is overcrowded or under occupied People whose relationships have broken down People who live with a child under 16 above the ground floor People who need to live in a certain area for support Other reasons that may need to be considered

HOMELESS APPLICATIONS Homeless people usually have to go to local authority for help. Housing Act 1996 (as amended by Homelessness Act 2002) Have to jump through 6 hoops to determine whether the authority has any duty to assist or re-house them: Eligible for Assistance Homeless Intentionally Homeless Priority Need Local Connection Unacceptable Behaviour

6 HOOPS 1.ELIGIBLE FOR ASSISTANCE A person is usually not eligible if they are from abroad and ineligible for social assistance. However, some people subject to immigration control are eligible for assistance e.g. refugees and some asylum seekers.

6 HOOPS 2.HOMELESS A person is homeless unless: They have accommodation in the UK or elsewhere That they have a right to occupy the accommodation That it is reasonable for them to continue to occupy it. A person is homeless if they do have the right to occupy accommodation but they cannot secure entry to it e.g. because of illegal eviction.

6 HOOPS 3.INTENTIONALLY HOMELESS If intentionally homeless, LA s only duty is to advise and assist and provide temporary accommodation for a reasonable time for the person to make alternative arrangements. Depends whether the person is homeless as a consequence of own actions. A person is intentionally homeless if s/he deliberately does or fails to do anything in consequence of which s/he ceases to occupy accommodation which is available for her/his occupation and which it would have been reasonable for her/him to continue to occupy.

6 HOOPS 4.PRIORITY NEED Will look at person s circumstances to assess: Physical / mental disability Pregnant / dependent children Elderly Care leavers etc

6 HOOPS 5.LOCAL CONNECTION Only looked at if found to be eligible for assistance, unintentionally homeless and in priority need. Need links through length of residence / local employment / close family links / other special circumstances. Been a resident in the area 6 out of last 12 months or 3 out of last 5 years. Have employment in area not of casual nature. Family associations with the area only nuclear family Special circumstances at discretion of LA

6 HOOPS 6.UNACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOUR If the applicant has a history of unacceptable behaviour e.g. violence, anti-social behaviour they may not be offered housing if they are thought to still be a risk.

LOCAL AUTHORITY DUTIES If the applicant is found to satisfy all requirements the LA will have a full duty to provide temporary accommodation to the applicant, for an indefinite period of time. Duty ceases if they: Become intentionally homeless Accept offer from waiting list Otherwise gives up occupation of accommodation Unreasonably refuses a suitable offer On completion of enquiries decision must be put in writing. If adverse decision reasons must be given. Person can request a review within 21 days of decision.

Local Authority Individual websites

TENANCY DEPOSIT SCHEMES What are Tenancy Deposit Schemes? Introduced April 2007. The schemes allow tenants to get all or part of their deposit back when they are entitled to it and encourage tenants and landlords to make a clear agreement from the start on the condition of the property. Insurance Based & Custodial schemes.

TENANCY DEPOSIT SCHEMES INSURANCE BASED SCHEMES The tenant pays the deposit to landlord. Landlord retains deposit and pays a premium to insurer At end of tenancy: The landlord should agree with tenant how much deposit they get back. If there is a dispute then the landlord should give the disputed amount to the scheme for safe keeping. If the landlord fails to comply insurance arrangements will ensure that the deposit is returned to the tenant.

TENANCY DEPOSIT SCHEMES CUSTODIAL SCHEMES The tenant pays the deposit to landlord. Landlord retains deposit and pays the deposit to the scheme. At end of tenancy: The landlord should agree with tenant how much deposit they get back. If there is a dispute then the scheme will continue to hold the deposit until a resolution is reached. Interest may be accrued and this would then be used to pay for running of the scheme or offered to the tenant / landlord depending.

HELP WITH DEPOSITS Some tenants may not have a lot of money available in order to pay the deposits which are sometimes required before a tenant can sign a new tenancy. There are some schemes that mean that instead of you having to find a cash deposit, the Council will give the landlord a bond. This is a guarantee, equivalent to the value of the deposit (usually one month's rent.) If at the end of a tenancy a tenant had e.g. damaged the property and didn t pay this then the council would cover it. However, this would mean they may not be able to use the scheme again or may struggle to find housing in the future. Landlords who want to be in the schemes have to have property at a good standard of condition.

HELP WITH DEPOSITS EXAMPLES OF SOME SCHEMES Manchester City Council Rentwise / Letwise Salford City Council Salford Rental Bond Scheme Trafford Council Trafford Rent and Bond Scheme Bury MBC Bury Bond Board Rochdale MBC The Bond Board A good place to see what is available is the individual council s webpage.

REFERENCES A lot of HA s and landlords will ask for a reference when a SU applies to them. These must be sent to a Housing Officer to complete as we have to get authorisation from a director or manager to send it out. This is especially important if the SU was a difficult tenant and we may have to reveal their history to the prospective landlord which could jeopardise their new tenancy. We also need permission from the SU to disclose any information.

ANY QUESTIONS? SCENARIOS