Published: 24 November 2006
‘Moving On’ moves up Housing Agenda
Homeless Link, the umbrella group for organisations working with homeless people, has welcomed the Housing Corporation’s new push to increase the role housing associations play in tackling and preventing homelessness.
The Housing Corporation’s new strategy ‘Tackling Homelessness’, says that housing associations should consider preparing ‘homelessness action plans’ and that these plans include ‘move on’ to get residents of hostels and supported housing into their own homes.
Associations should also appoint senior ‘homelessness champions’ and do more to help local authorities deliver their homelessness strategies.
Jenny Edwards, chief executive of Homeless Link, said:
“We are pleased that the Housing Corporation has recognised the importance of move on in their strategy. Housing associations are key to resolving this problem, which leaves people stuck for years in hostels and prevents others from leaving the street.
We now hope that ‘move on’ will be made a priority in the next round of the Housing Corporation’s National Affordable Housing Programme and will receive the investment it needs.”
Research by Homeless Link suggests that 45% of available places in hostels are occupied by people who are ready to move on, but have nowhere to go.
The group estimates that the number of social homes currently offered to hostels needs to more than double if the backlog is to be addressed.
Failure to address this problem has both financial & social issues, as people who are trapped in costly hostels are receiving support they no longer need and it can undermine the good work done to help people move away from homelessness.
While the government has set a target to halve the number of statutory homeless households in temporary accommodation many people in hostels are not included in the figures.
The new strategy also calls on housing associations to raise their game in preventing homelessness, saying that they should put in place procedures to provide people with the support they need, seek to sustain tenancies and make eviction a last resort
Further information:
Homeless Link
The Housing Corporation Strategy: Tackling Homelessness
Housing Corporation’s National Affordable Housing Programme
No room to move?
Ending Homelessness: From Vision to Action, Homeless Link
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Government Plans to Tackle Homelessness
Alarming trends in housing supply, availability and affordability
Tackling ethnic minority homelessness
Homeless Eastern European Immigrants
Tightening of Housing Rules
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