Category: News

A letter to Members of the Scottish Parliament

Posted on

View as a PDF

Dear Member of the Scottish Parliament

Preventing Evictions During a Pandemic

We are writing to ask for your urgent support in extending an important aspect of Scotland’s coronavirus response. Please help prevent an increase in homelessness this autumn by supporting an extension to temporary safeguards relating to evictions.

The Everyone Home Collective came together early in the pandemic because we knew the conditions were being created for a surge in homelessness; we want to do all we can to prevent that. The Collective of organisations from across the third, academic, legal and advice sectors meet frequently on priorities to mitigate the worst impacts of the pandemic on people affected by or at risk of homelessness in Scotland.

A second wave of new eviction cases that may result from the social and economic impact of COVID-19 can be mitigated by Parliament extending the provisions from 30 September to April 2021 in the first instance. This was also a key recommendation of the expert Homelessness & Rough Sleeping Action Group.

We are concerned that if these temporary measures are lifted prematurely you may see an increase in homelessness in your constituency. With the pandemic far from being over and the lasting impact on unemployment unknown, this would be devastating for individuals and families and counter to good public health outcomes in the community.

Members across the Scottish Parliament can make sure that people with the most insecure housing and economic conditions do not shoulder the impact of this pandemic.

Evicting people into rooflessness is to be avoided at any time, especially during a public health emergency. It is crucial that we all play our part to prevent homelessness from happening in the first place and that we ensure tenants and landlords have the support they need to resolve any issues. The majority of evictions are due to rent arrears, and we counter the position that people who can pay and don’t are a significant number. The Collective are much more likely to advise and support people with rent arrears who have significant money challenges, people with many other life stresses, and people who avoid official correspondence because of mounting pressures affecting their health and wellbeing. Each case has a unique, very real and very human story. These households need our help, especially now and in the aftermath of this pandemic.

These are not ordinary circumstances. The emergency measures put in place quickly and with Parliament’s support have helped many people stay safe and well over the past few months. This is why we are urging you to support the extension of emergency legislation on evictions up to April 2021 in the first instance.

Yours sincerely

the undersigned

Consultation on a Ministerial Statement for modifying local connection referrals in Scotland

Posted on

Overview

This consultation invites comments on the content of a Ministerial Statement to set out the circumstances in which, and the general criteria by reference to which, the power of Scottish Ministers to modify local connection referrals between local authorities in Scotland is to be exercised. It also invites comments on the proposal to suspend local connection referrals between Scottish local authorities to remove barriers people face to accessing the support they need.

Scottish Ministers are required, under section 33B of the Housing (Scotland) Act 1987, to consult such associations representing local authorities and such other persons, as they see fit, before preparing a Ministerial Statement setting out the circumstances in which, and the general criteria by reference to which, the power of Scottish Ministers to modify local connection, in section 33A of the Act, is to be exercised.

The consultation invites local authorities, third sector organisations and others with an interest in homelessness to consider and provide views.

Your comments will ensure that a wide range of perspectives are considered in preparing the statement.

Read the consultation paper.

Begin consultation

Contact

Stephen O’Connor, Homelessness Measurement and Legislation Unit

07791 594224

Homelessness_External_Mail@gov.scot

Homelessness charities to meet Minister

Posted on

Seven senior representatives of 27 charities and academic organisations in the ‘Everyone Home Collective’ will offer their support to the Scottish Housing Minister, Kevin Stewart MSP, during a private meeting later today (Tuesday 28 July). The group will also seek reassurance from the Minister on aspects of the Scottish Government’s plans to prevent and address homelessness as lockdown measures ease and businesses reopen.

Among the issues on the agenda for today’s discussion are extending emergency legislation on evictions to April 2021; preventing a return to rough sleeping for people living in hotels; the role of private sector (PRS) landlords in tackling homelessness in future; plans to scale up Scotland’s highly-regarded Housing First programme, which is a way of ending homelessness permanently; support for people who do not have access to the full range of benefits or housing due to their immigration status, known as ‘No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF).

The Collective includes respected charities and academic organisations, including many household names, working to end homelessness in all parts of the country. Together, they have agreed a ‘triple-lock’ of measures to protect the progress that has been made in accommodating most people who are currently homeless and frame the next steps. 

Today’s discussion will draw on these key asks contained in the Everyone Home Framework, submitted to the Scottish Government in May as a sector-wide response to Covid-19, as well as more recent developments and new information. The three themes are:

  • prioritise prevention, create as much housing capacity as we can now and make a long-term commitment to increase the supply of homes for social rent
  • permanently prevent a return to previous levels of rough sleeping in all areas
  • no evictions into homelessness, the end of avoidable evictions and the threat of illegal evictions.

Representing the Everyone Home Collective at today’s meeting are senior representatives from member organisations Crisis, Four Square, Glasgow Night Shelter for Destitute Asylum Seekers, Homeless Network Scotland, Simon Community Scotland, Scottish Refugee Council and Ypeople.

Janet Haugh, Chief Executive of Ypeople, will ask the Minister about the role that private landlords can play in helping to tackle homelessness.

Janet Haugh said: “As a collective we agreed to look at the role of private rented sector accommodation in preventing homelessness, and this becomes even more important as we edge towards autumn and winter. We want to explore the impact of any extension to the temporary rules on evictions and work together to find solutions, as well as support the government in discussions they may be having. We need quality, affordable options to end rough sleeping and tackle homelessness. Working alongside a range of housing providers including private landlords to identify suitable accommodation is the right approach so that the PRS can play a stronger role in a post-COVID recovery.” 

Janet Haugh – Chief Executive, Ypeople

Annika Joy, Project Director at Glasgow Night Shelter for Destitute Asylum Seekers, said: “We want to see an end to destitution in Scotland and protect the human rights of everyone who wants to make Scotland their home. The Collective is publishing a series of route maps and the next in the series is looking in detail at No Recourse to Public Funds. I will be asking the Minister how we can help bring together funders and partners and support the Scottish Government to provide services for people who find themselves without access to most benefits or housing choices – and how the Collective can support the Minister to engage the UK Government on this issue as immigration is reserved to Westminster.”

The next scheduled Route Map from the Everyone Home Collective on No Recourse to Public Funds and immigration status as it relates to homelessness is due to be published in August.

For more information visit www.everyonehome.scot or follow @homelessnetscot on Twitter.

Deciding how to help might be ignoring the obvious

Posted on

Homeless Network Scotland recently made over 1,000 cash payments of £100 to people affected by homelessness, thanks to the Scottish Government’s Wellbeing Fund, supported by SCVO and the Hunter Foundation. The one-off payment was available to households in temporary homelessness accommodation, or people who have recently taken on a Housing First tenancy. Martin Gavin, Head of External Relations at Homeless Network Scotland, explains how it came about.

The coronavirus crisis is helping to shift the concept of direct cash transfers to people who need money away from the fringes of charity fundraising and into the mainstream, both in the UK and abroad. Schemes operating worldwide have enabled people to buy equipment to start a business or repair their homes, or simply supporting them to get by. 

The Staying In Fund came about through a grant of £100K provided as part of the Scottish Government’s emergency response measures. The award of the grant to Homeless Network Scotland permitted us to use the money in the most effective way possible, and in this case simply providing cash or vouchers to people who need it was the preferred option. There is no good time to be short of money, but during this pandemic has been an especially stressful time and we wanted to help ease some money worries or allow people to clear money owed.

There is robust, well-researched evidence that providing money directly to people who need it is an effective response. American non-profit organisation, Give Directly, has been pioneering direct cash transfers for the past decade, according to its website delivering more than $160 million in cash directly to 170,000 families in different parts of the world. The organisation received funding from Silicon Valley tech companies and investors as the pandemic began to take hold in April. Research indicates that receiving a cash transfer has advantages beyond the initial payment, with some people who receive a payment experiencing a growth in income over time, with additional benefits relating to wellbeing and positive health outcomes also recorded.

Here in Scotland, people in temporary accommodation or a Housing First tenancy were able to apply with many applications coming through support providers such as Salvation Army, which delivers services across Scotland including Housing First support.

Kelly Storm, Service Manager at Salvation Army, said: “On a practical level people have been able to buy things like clothes, which they would not normally buy for themselves, items for their tenancies to help make their house feel more like home and also forms of entertainment, such as phones and DVDs, which have helped combat isolation during the lockdown period. We have been able to encourage people to shop in their local stores and supermarkets as well which has helped them connect with their communities. The fund has had an incredibly positive impact on all. For those really feeling the effects of increased isolation and boredom, the receipt of the voucher was a huge pick me up and really lifted their spirits.”

This round of our staying in fund is now closed but testing this method of providing support has demonstrated the value of direct cash grants for people who may have limited access to financial assistance, from friends or family members for example. For us, this confirmed that deciding how best to assist someone might be as simple as enabling them to decide for themselves.

People in temporary accommodation or Housing First were able to apply for the grant, including Lenny from Refrewshire, pictured, who received £100 of shopping vouchers in June.

Housing and homelessness strategic partnership

Posted on

The Scottish Federation of Housing Associations (SFHA) and Homeless Network Scotland (HNS) have today (Thursday 16 July) announced they will be forming a strategic partnership, with the aim of strengthening the social housing sector’s role in tackling homelessness.

This will include:

  • joint lobbying on mutual areas of interest
  • test-of-change projects to scope new approaches to tackling homelessness
  • SFHA involvement in the design and delivery of a new national framework by HNS, to startup, scale up and integrate Housing First to tackle multiple disadvantage
  • post-Covid support guidance, options and tools to help test new ideas that preventhomelessness and create housing capacity and choice
  • HNS quarterly homelessness policy and practice briefings for SFHA members.

As part of the arrangement, SFHA members will have automatic access to the benefits of Homeless Network Scotland’s full membership category.

Sally Thomas, SFHA Chief Executive, said:

“We are delighted to be working more closely with Homeless Network Scotland. Scotland’s housing associations and co-operatives already play a key role in tackling and preventing homelessness by providing affordable housing, tenancy sustainment support, and financial and welfare rights services.

“Through this partnership, we can ensure that social housing providers further strengthen the work they do, in order to achieve the shared ambition of ending homelessness in Scotland.”

Maggie Brünjes, Chief Executive of Homeless Network Scotland, said:

“This strategic partnership with SFHA is very important to us. Our organisations share common values and approaches which overlap with a shared objective to resolve homelessness.

“The timing is also right to formalise this partnership. Housing ends homelessness, and a housing-led recovery will help us move forward from current emergency measures to mitigate against the worst impacts of the pandemic on homelessness in Scotland.

“No one wants to see people return to unsuitable temporary accommodation or rough sleeping. This will need us all to do more. While it will need a shift in homeless systems and provision, it also needs more social and affordable housing, especially in parts of Scotland where supply does not meet demand. I know this formal partnership between our organisations can help further that aim.”