Scottish Government and COSLA have issued non-statutory guidance for local authorities, social landlords and private rented sector landlords to help them meet duties and legal requirements during the coronavirus pandemic.
While recognising the range of challenges of allocating housing during the Covid-19 crisis, the guidance also provides practical considerations and takes the strong position that:
“… delays to allocations risk the safety of some of our most vulnerable groups and will create a backlog within the housing sector which will slow progress towards a recovery. It is crucial to ensure empty properties continue to be allocated throughout this period wherever possible. Where issues are identified strong partnership working across the housing sector and government should aim to address these issues and find practical solutions.”
Maggie Brunjes, Homeless Network Scotland’s Chief Executive, looks at an unfair pandemic and the reasons why we are today publishing a new framework* to help redress this across homelessness policy and services.
Already we know that the risk and impact of Covid-19 is not distributed equally. That it is having a disproportionate impact on people at the sharp end of social, income and health inequalities. And that this has a geographical pattern, which means some communities will be more affected too.
An interesting article last week from the Collaborative Centre for Housing Evidence discussed that those most damaged by austerity will also be most impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic – including young people, frontline workers and women. The Improvement Service also published an important summary of issues and potential impact of Covid-19 on those living in socio-economic disadvantage. An official inquiry has been launched by Public Health England to investigate why people from black and minority ethnic backgrounds are disproportionately affected by the virus. While this week, the Scottish Parliament’s Equalities & Human Rights Committee launched an inquiry on the impact of the pandemic on equalities and human rights.
The overarching priority for those preventing and responding to homelessness during Covid-19 is to enable everyone to be in a safe place where social distancing, self-isolation and shielding is possible. With so many remarkable response plans now in motion right across Scotland, this might be the right time to fine tune those responses – and the ones still to come – to be as sensitive to inequality as they can be.
With this knowledge, we have taken some time to consider the additional impacts of Covid-19 on homelessness in Scotland, through the lens of ‘protected’ groups – those of us more likely to be more affected by already being at a disadvantage in other ways.
If at a broader societal level we are now being encouraged in Scotland to gear up to live alongside this virus in a ‘new normal’ over the coming months, then we hope this framework can assist and signpost local authority, housing, health and third sector partners. And act as a useful guide to help direct local policy, activity and resource during the pandemic and in its aftermath.
Special thanks to a high-calibre panel of ‘expert reviewers’ who considered this framework from every angle and provided feedback to help us get it into a shape ready to share. It remains a live document, so if you spot any gaps or improvements – please do let us know.
* View the framework here: ‘Homelessness & Covid-19: An overview of equality considerations arising from Coronavirus (Covid-19) and its impact on homelessness in Scotland’ (v. 27 April 2020)
There are grim links between homelessness, human trafficking and modern slavery. The take-away message from Police Scotland at a Homeless Network Scotland members event before the Covid-19 outbreak was that a ‘false alarm is better than no alarm’. This advice rings even clearer now, with the pandemic exacerbating an already urgent situation for people affected or at risk.
There are new concerns that people trafficked into businesses that have closed due to Covid-19 (e.g. nail bars and car washes) could be forced into different work, or ‘let go’ if their trafficker can no longer make money from them. People often have no ID, papers or money and are at increased risk of homelessness, rough sleeping, destitution and exploitation including sexual exploitation. Homelessness agencies are being asked to spot the signs, to share information and continue to strengthen relationships across homelessness, trafficking, destitution and refugee services.
HELP NUMBERS:
To get advice or report a concern contact the Modern Slavery Helpline on 08000 121 700 or advise the person that you are concerned about to phone this number. They can speak confidentially without giving their name.
TARA (Trafficking Awareness Raising Alliance) work with women over 18 who have been trafficked into commercial sexual exploitation. Phone 0141 275 7724.
Migrant Help: Work with people over 18 who have been trafficked for any purpose other than commercial sexual exploitation. Phone 0141 8847900 /out of Hours 0141 2128553.
If you’re in Glasgow, there is a group linked directly to homelessness services, contact Joy Andrew at Restore Glasgow on joyrestore18@gmail.com.
The Scottish Government is working with UK Government to extend testing to a wide range of key workers. Testing will allow symptomatic key workers and their household members to know whether or not they have the virus to help keep essential services running.
This includes third sector frontline services, including homelessness services, who are included in their local authority’s key worker list. Due to high demand for testing, key workers have been prioritised for testing by different categories of work.
Guidance on who can access the expanded testing programme in Scotland is available here
Guidance on coronavirus testing for key workers who are showing symptoms is available here
The priority categories are listed in the matrix which is available here
Homeless Network Scotland invites you to a series of webinars beginning on Monday 27 April at 2.00pm, covering a range of themes concerning the additional impact of Covid-19 on homelessness in Scotland.
From Precarious to Permanent, the series begins with an in-depth look at current homelessness policy in response to the Covid-19 outbreak. Delivered by Claire Frew, Policy and Impact Manager, this webinar will be fast moving and informative with an opportunity for Q&A to allow discussion and debate.
From Precarious to Permanent Monday 27 April 2020 at 1.50pm UK time Join the webinar here
Further planned webinar’s in the series include
Involving People in Change | 4 May at 2.00pm Delivered by the All In for Change Team, this webinar will highlight the benefits of involving people with lived experience in shaping services, influencing policy and changing systems.
Housing First Update | 7 May at 2.00pm To coincide with the Housing First Conference sadly cancelled due to Covid-19, this webinar will have a progress report on the Housing First strategy, the successes and challenges to date. Delivered by Doug Gibson, Partnerships Manager.
Communications in Lockdown | 11 May at 2.00pm Delivered by Martin Gavin, Head of External Relations, this webinar will have a detailed look at a challenge for organisations during lockdown of how they continue to communicate internally and externally to people, practitioners and other organisations.
Homelessness Action Plan | 18 May at 2.00pm Delivered by Michelle Major, Change Lead, this webinar will provide an update on the Homelessness Action Plan in Scotland with particular focus on Rough Sleeping and Destitution.
Learning in Lockdown | 25 May at 2.00pm Delivered by Graham Lamont, Business & Learning Development Manager, this webinar will look specifically at the difficulties of learning during the COVID-19 crisis. Offering resources and potential strategies aimed at professionals, practitioners, service users and volunteers.
The webinar series will have several guest speakers as we focus on the many different strands and great work going on across Scotland. To join please follow these instructions:
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