H o m e l e s s ne s s S t r a t e g y · Homelessness Strategy 2018- 2023 Pa r t 1 : T h e H o m e l e s s n e s s R e v i e w T h e H ome l e s s n e s s R e v i e w e x a mi n

Homelessness Strategy2018-2023

Homelessness Strategy 2018- 2023

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Contents

Homelessness review and strategy - Introduction

> What is homelessness?

> Homelessness legislation

> Resources to deliver the Homelessness Strategy

Part 1 – The Homeless Review

> National context

> Local strategic context

Part 2 - The Homelessness Strategy 2018-2023

> Priority 1

> Priority 2

> Priority 3

> Priority 4

> Delivering the Homelessness Strategy

Appendices

> Appendix 1 - Key points from consultation

> Appendix 2 - Homelessness Strategy Working Group

> Appendix 3 - Glossary

> Appendix 4 - Bibliography

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Homelessnessreview and strategy:

An Introduction


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This strategy is published at a time of rapid and fundamentalchange in the way housing authorities support homeless orpotentially homeless households. The introduction of the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017 inApril 2018 placed new duties on authorities and has redefinedthe services that must be provided.

The Homelessness Act 2002 requires allhousing authorities to publish, and renewevery 5 years, a Homelessness Strategybased on a review of homelessness in theirdistrict. The review considers the levels, and likelyfuture levels, of homelessness in a districtand describes any initiatives designed toprevent homelessness. The strategy must setout plans for the prevention of homelessnessand ensuring sufficient accommodation andsupport are available for people who arehomeless or at risk of homelessness. The strategy should also identify theresources available to the housing authority,the social services authority, other publicauthorities and voluntary organisations toprevent and address homelessness.

Consultation We would like to thank allorganisations and membersof the public who havecontributed to thedevelopment of this strategy.This input has beeninvaluable and has helped usshape our goals. We believewe can only endhomelessness and improvethe lives of Bromley residentsby working together.


Part 1: The Homelessness Review

The Homelessness Reviewexamines the national and localpicture and includes data onhomelessness in the borough toidentify current and futurechallenges

This strategy is divided into two parts:

Part 2: The Homelessness Strategy

The Homelessness Strategy providesan overview of existing services andinitiatives in place to preventhomelessness and outlines thepriorities and objectives that willinform the development of ourhomelessness services from 2018 to2023


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What is homelessness?

There has been a rise in officiallyestimated rough sleeper numbers, withthe national total now up by 169% since2010. More robust statistics collected by theCombined Homelessness andInformation Network (CHAIN) systemsimilarly show London rough sleepinghas more than doubled since 2010. Rough sleeping is just one aspect ofhomelessness and the vast majority ofhomeless people are families or singlepeople who are not sleeping rough. Some may be staying with relatives andfriends on a temporary basis and manyare living in temporary accommodation,such as nightly-paid, bed and breakfasthotels, hostels, night shelters andrefuges. The law defines someone as beinghomeless if they do not have a legalright to occupy accommodation,or their accommodation is unsuitable.

Homelessness is often associated with sleeping on the streetsand the issue of rough-sleeping attracts significant politicaland media attention.

This can cover a wide range ofcircumstances, including the following:

Having no accommodation at all Having accommodation that is notreasonable to live in perhapsbecause of violence or healthreasons Having a legal right toaccommodation that you cannotaccess for reasons such as illegaleviction Living in accommodation with nolegal right to occupy such as a squator staying with friends temporarily

Councils now have a legal duty toprovide advice and assistance to allpeople who are legally defined ashomeless or threatened withhomelessness. However, only those falling within thelegal definition of homeless and in“priority need” must be offeredtemporary accommodation.


Since our last Homelessness Strategy was published in 2012 we have madesignificant progress in the design and delivery of effective services. Over the next two pages we have provided a summary of our main achievementsin the past 5 years. This Homelessness Strategy 2018 - 2023 will complement the Housing Strategywhich will be published later in 2018.

OUR MAIN ACHIEVEMENTS from 2012 to 2017

9 , 7 12

households have beenprevented from

becoming homeless

2 , 093

home secured byworking closely with

private sector landlordsand employing a range

of incentives

83 units of temporary

accommodation in boroughhave been created throughthe refurbishment of twoformer residential homes

400units to be purchased through

the “More Homes Bromley”partnership with Mears Group

property purchase programme

0use of shared-facility

Bed and Breakfastaccommodation for

all main duty acceptances

We have eliminated the use of Bed and Breakfast as temporaryaccommodation for homeless 16/17 year olds We have created an in-house Debt Advice Officer post to undertakeprevention work and achieve better outcomes for households intemporary accommodation and those affected by welfare reforms A new early intervention team has been established to assisthouseholds before crisis is reached to deliver prevention initiatives We operate a number of housing advice surgeries in locationsincluding the domestic violence one-stop-shop, Green Parks House,Probation and the Youth Offending Service A new Housing Options online form has been introduced toimprove the efficiency of triage and quickly identify the needs ofour clients We have recruited specialist Housing Options Officers to supportclients with the impact of welfare reform We have recommissioned accommodation and support servicesfor young people provided by Depaul We have also recommissioned the tenancy sustainment floatingsupport service provided by Hestia A welfare fund has been established to provide households withessential items when moving into a new home


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Our mission statement is:

To work with our community to ensureeveryone has access to a home

Four key priorities have been identified:


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Early identification and prevention of homelessness

Support people wherever possiblebefore crisis and provide excellentservices to those at point of crisisto prevent homelessness or assistthem to secure alternativesustainable accommodation

Achieve positive outcomes for our young people

Preventing youth homelessness andensuring young people are supportedto make a positive transition intoadulthood

Increase the supply of accommodation

Explore all available housingoptions to prevent homelessnessand identify more affordable andsustainable long-termaccommodation to reduce stays intemporary accommodation

Achieve positive outcomes by improving health and wellbeing and breaking the cycle of homelessness

Ensure services are accessible, person-centred and equip people withthe skills and resilience to sustainaccommodation and avoid repeathomelessness


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Homelessness legislation

The Homelessness Reduction Act2017 places a new emphasis on earlyintervention and the prevention ofhomelessness. Authorities must nowprovide structured advice andassistance to everyone who ishomeless or threatened withhomelessness, not just those who areconsidered to be vulnerable and in“priority need”. Historically, the work of HousingOptions teams has been focused oninvestigating the circumstances ofhomeless applicant to establishwhether they are:

Eligible (in terms of immigrationservices) Legally homeless Unintentionally homeless Locally connected In priority need

Other homeless applicants may be'vulnerable' and in priority need as aresult of:

A pregnant woman and single parentsor families with children willautomatically be in priority need. Also, 16/17 year olds (and some oldercare leavers) will automatically be inpriority need.

Old age Mental illness Mental handicap Physical disability Having been in care (and now 21 orover) Service in the armed forces A period in custody Having fled actual or threatenedviolence

Priority need is important becauseauthorities have a legal duty to providetemporary accommodation for theseapplicants until longer-termaccommodation can be secured. For a number of reasons, it is often verydifficult to identify and secure thisaccommodation which will allow theauthority to discharge the “mainhomelessness duty” and it is commonfor stays in temporary accommodationto last for several years. The Housing (Homeless Persons) Act1977, Housing Act 1996, and the


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Homelessness Act 2002, placestatutory duties on local authorities toensure that advice and assistance forhouseholds who are homeless orthreatened with homelessness isavailable free of charge. TheHomelessness Reduction Act 2017amends the Housing Act. The ‘main homelessness duty’ is owedwhere the authority is satisfied theapplicant is:

vulnerable as a result of time spentin care, in custody, or in HM Forces vulnerable as a result of having toflee their home because of violenceor the threat of violence

Eligible for assistance Unintentionally homeless In a defined priority need group

Such statutorily homeless householdsare referred to as ‘acceptances’. The ‘priority need groups’ includehouseholds with dependent children ora pregnant woman and people who arevulnerable in some way. In 2002 an Order made under the 1996Act extended the priority needcategories to include applicants:

aged 16 or 17 aged 18 to 20 who were previouslyin care

Where the main duty is owed, theauthority must ensure that suitableaccommodation is available for theapplicant and their household. The dutycontinues until a settled housingsolution becomes available. Where households are found to beintentionally homeless, or not in priorityneed, the authority must make anassessment of their housing needs andprovide advice and assistance to helpthem find accommodation forthemselves. In 2002, the Government amended thehomelessness legislation through theHomelessness Act 2002 and theHomelessness (Priority Need forAccommodation) (England) Order 2002to:

Ensure a more strategic approach totackling and preventinghomelessness by requiring ahomelessness strategy for every


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Strengthen assistance available topeople who are homeless orthreatened with homelessness byextending the priority needcategories to homeless 16 and 17year olds; care leavers aged 18, 19and 20; people who are vulnerableas a result of time spent in care, thearmed forces, prison or custody, andpeople who are vulnerable becausethey have fled their home because ofviolence

Undertake a detailed assessmentwith each household who ishomeless or threatened withhomelessness to explore theircircumstances and any issues orsupport needs contributing to theirhomelessness Prepare a Personalised HousingPlan setting out the steps both thehousehold and the authority will taketo resolve their homelessness For up to 56 days, take reasonablesteps to help all eligible householdsthreatened with homelessnessmaintain their accommodation orfind new accommodation for(households will be required to co-operate with the support provided) For up to 56 days, take reasonablesteps to help all eligible homelesshouse-holds secure accommodation- households in priority need will beprovided with interimaccommodation during this period(households will be required to co-operate with the support provided) Carry out checks on accommodationthey secure in the private rentedsector for households in priorityneed

The Homelessness Reduction Act2017 places several newhomelessness duties on localauthorities and makes amendments toseveral existing duties. The new duties placed on localauthorities mean they will be requiredto:

Treat households as threatened withhomelessness 56 days before theyare likely to become homeless (anincrease from 28 days) Provide enhanced information andadvice, tailored to the specific needsof groups who are at a greater riskof homelessness


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Additionally, under the Act certainspecified public authorities are requiredto notify a housing authority of serviceusers they consider may be homelessor threatened with homelessness. Thepublic authorities subject to this duty torefer are:

The Localism Act 2011 gave localauthorities new powers to shape theirapproach to allocations manage theirwaiting lists and make more effectiveuse of tenancies by:

Prisons Youth offending institutions Secure training colleges Youth offending teams Probation services Jobcentre Plus Social services authorities Emergency departments Urgent treatment centres Hospitals in their function ofproviding inpatient care

The type of data collected aroundhomelessness is due to change underthe Homelessness Reduction Act, withthe introduction of a new collectionsystem H-CLIC. This will enable localauthorities to report in much greaterdetail and produce a morecomprehensive overview ofhomelessness and associated supportneeds to inform the live Action Plan.

Giving social landlords the choice togrant tenancies for a fixed-term Allowing local authorities greatercontrol over eligibility criteria to jointhe housing register Enabling local authorities todischarge the main homelessnessinto the private rented sector Supporting greater geographicalmobility across the social housingsector Requiring local authorities todevelop a Tenancy Strategy inpartnership with local registeredproviders

The Care Act 2014 places a duty onlocal authorities to protect thewellbeing of their residents through thedelivery of appropriate housingservices and ensuring accommodationmeets the care and support needs ofolder and vulnerable people. The act isgeared towards preventative servicesand housing-related support.


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Below are the key housing elements ofthe Act:

A general duty to promote wellbeing,making specific reference tosuitable accommodation andhousing-related support Housing must be considered as partof an assessment process that mayprevent, reduce or delay an adultsocial care need Information and advice shouldreflect housing options, as part of auniversal service offer Care and support should bedelivered in an integrated way withcooperation between all partnerorganisations, including housing


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Resources to deliver the HomelessnessStrategy

Bromley Council has a range of resources which fund activity to preventhomelessness and support vulnerable residents in housing need:

Discretionary Housing Payment fund (DHP) DHP is paid by the Department of Work and Pensions annually to the Council(DWP). It is used to prevent homelessness through payments of rent in advance,tenancy deposits, assisting benefit cap and ‘bedroom tax’ cases and to cover LocalHousing Allowance (LHA) shortfalls.

Homelessness Prevention Grant The Council receives an annual Homelessness Prevention Grant from the Ministryof Housing Communities and Local Government (MHCLG).

New Burdens Funding Each housing authority has been given an allocation of funding over the next 3years to assist with the anticipated increase in volume and complexity of workunder the new Homelessness Reduction Act.

Flexible Homelessness Support Grant This grant replaces the DWP temporary accommodation management fee and canbe used to support the full range of homelessness services including employingadditional staff.

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Part 1

The HomelessReview


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National context

Rising house prices and rents makehome purchase or access to privaterented properties unattainable for manypeople. Since 2012 there has been a steadyincrease nationally, both in the numberof households approaching their localauthority for homeless assistance andalso in those subsequently accepted asstatutorily homeless. The “Homelessness Monitor: England 2018” (http://bit.ly/crisis-homelessnessmonitor2018) indicatesthat since 2010/11, placements intemporary accommodation nationallyhave risen by 61% and the NationalAudit Office has identified a 39%increase in local authority spending ontemporary accommodation in the fiveyears to 2015/16. There are around 78,000 homelesshouseholds in England in temporaryaccommodation and, if current trendscontinue, more than 100,000 suchhouseholds will be living in temporaryaccommodation by 2020.

There were over 59,000 homelessnessacceptances in England in 2016/17;19,000 higher than 2009/10 andacceptances are now 48 per cent abovethe 2009/10 total. This increase in statutory homelessnessis largely the result of an increasingnumber of households made homelessfrom the private rented sector. Thenumber of these cases has increasedfrom 5,000 in 2010/11 to over 18,000 in2016/17. As a percentage of all statutoryhomelessness acceptances PRS caseshave increased from 11% in 2009/10 to31% 2015/16 and 2016/17. In contrast, homelessness acceptancesresulting from mortgage repossessionsand social sector rent arrears remain athistorically low levels. In areas such as Bromley the samefactors, such as high rents, which havecaused or contributed to a householdbecoming homeless, are likely topresent challenges around thedischarge of duty.


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Assisting people to access privatetenancies used to be the most commonhomelessness prevention activity butsince 2009/10 the annual volume ofthese cases has almost halved. This decrease may be a result of theincreasing detachment of LocalHousing Allowance (LHA) rates frommarket rents and the diminishingproportion of local lettings remainingaffordable for benefit dependenthouseholds. LHA is Housing Benefit for householdsin the private rented sector. Themaximum amount of support ahousehold can claim will depend onwhere they live, the minimum number ofbedrooms they need and their income. LHA rates are based on private marketrents being paid in the area and set atthe 30th percentile of rents meaningclaimants are only able to afford thecheapest 30% of properties. All working age benefits, including LHArates, are frozen for 4 years from April2016. Claimants are effectively beingpriced out of even the cheaper end ofthe private rented market. Thisincreases the challenge for all localauthorities attempting to discharge dutyinto the PRS.

Landlords may be unwilling to acceptformerly homeless households,because of issues such as previous rentarrears, and may have an additionalconcern that they will not be able to payany rent increases within the next fewyears. The loss of a private sector tenancy isnow the leading cause of homelessnessboth locally and nationally. Local authorities are increasinglypreventing homelessness by providingfinancial support and debt advice or bymediating with landlords. In addition to narrowing opportunities toaccess the private rented sector there isevidence to indicate homelesshouseholds also have increasinglylimited access to social tenancies. Newsocial lettings decreased by 11% during2016/17 and there is evidence tosuggest social landlords are reluctant tooffer tenancies to benefit-dependenthouseholds and those with complexneeds. The challenge of temporaryaccommodation provision represents akey strategic consideration forauthorities. The cost of some types ofaccommodation is not met in full by the


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benefits households are eligible toclaim and so represents a net cost toauthorities who meet this shortfall tocomply with their statutory duty. For Bromley the cost of meeting thisshortfall during 2017/18 was£4,088,711 with £3,711,374 of this totalbeing spent on “nightly-paid”accommodation. Bromley currently has over 1500households in temporaryaccommodation and the identificationof longer-term accommodation whichwould permit discharge of the main dutyremains an enduring challenge. The Homelessness Reduction Actprovides an opportunity to reconfigureour services, identify our priorities anddirect resources to the prevention ofhomelessness. We will be developing informedstrategic responses to the challenges ofour context and supporting ourresidents to avoid the experience ofhomelessness.

Welfare reform Since the last Homelessness Strategywas published Government hasintroduced a number of welfare reformsand a number of these are thought to bedirectly linked to homelessness:

Total household benefit cap limitsthe maximum amount of benefits ahousehold can receive – in Londonthe cap is £442.31 a week/£23,000per annum for couples and familiesand £296.35/£15,410 per annum forsingle people – by February 2018Bromley had 796(http://bit.ly/Benefitcap2018)households who have had theirentitlement restricted as a result ofthe benefit cap Removal of the spare room subsidy(“the bedroom tax”) reduces HousingBenefit entitlement for socialhousing tenants considered under-occupying their homes by 14% (onebedroom) or 25% (two or morebedrooms) Local Housing Allowance frozen(LHA) is now limited to 30thpercentile of market rent (meaningthat 30% of rents in an area shouldbe lower than the LHA rate) – LHArates are frozen for 4 years fromApril 2016


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Universal Credit is replacing 6 otherbenefits with a single monthlypayment for out of work or lowincome claimants – the element ofUniversal Credit for housing costswill now be paid directly to residentsrather than to their landlords whichmay increase arrears The Shared Accommodation Ratefor under 35s is paid under LHArules, and single people aged under35 with no children, who are living inprivate rented accommodation, arenormally assumed to be living inshared accommodation – theirbenefit entitlement is based on thecost of renting a room in a sharedhouse or flat in their area even if theylive in a self-contained property

Regional strategic context

The Bromley Homelessness Strategyshould achieve consistency with theGreater London Authority (GLA)“London Housing Strategy”. The London strategy includes a set ofcommitments boroughs shouldconsider when addressinghomelessness and rough sleeping. Thestrategy focuses on helping roughsleepers, increasing the number ofaffordable homes and improving theprivate rented sector. The Mayor is keen to work withboroughs to intensify the focus onhomelessness prevention and ensurethose who lose their accommodationare supported into sustainable long-term accommodation. The key commitments in the LondonHousing Strategy are:

The development of a collaborativeapproach between boroughs tosecuring private rentedaccommodation for homelesshouseholds Increasing the supply of affordablehousing


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Local strategic context

This vision for the London Borough ofBromley has been prepared byCouncillors in partnership withorganisations responsible for deliveringpublic services in the Borough. The strategy provides a clearcommitment to supporting our mostvulnerable residents and will bedelivered through 8 themes, includinghousing. The priorities within the housing themeinclude:

Improved access to both the socialand private rented sector byemploying new technology Future developments will recognisethe need to tailor accommodation tosatisfy a variety of tenurerequirements New build homes will meet higherenergy efficiency and mobilitystandards Initiatives designed to bring moreempty properties back into use

Building a Better Bromley(BBB) – 2020 vision

The supply of decent housing as aprerequisite to health and wellbeing Housing associations across theBorough will be supported tomaintain a high quality of traditionalstock Targeted development designed toassist those with special needs,either to reflect their age, abilities orfrailty and to support the Councilmeet its statutory duties Engagement with the private rentedsector through the Landlord Forum

The health and life prospects of childrenare dependent on many factorsincluding housing. Research has shownthat the current and future wellbeing ofchildren are significantly affected by thestandard of their housing. Inadequatehousing or homelessness couldpotentially have an adverse effect on ahealth, both physical and mental, as wellas their educational attainment and lifeexpectancy.

Children’s Social CareImprovement Plan –“Roadmap to Excellence”


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The housing directorate works withchildren’s social services to achieve thecommitments outlined in the Children’sService Improvement Plan “Roadmap toExcellence” by:

Bromley context

Bromley is the largest London boroughby area, covering 59 square miles muchof which is Metropolitan Green Beltland. The borough shares borders withLewisham and Greenwich to the North,Bexley to the North East, Southwark andLambeth to the North West and Croydonto the West. Bromley ranks as the eighth mostpopulous London borough. There areapproximately 330,907 people living inBromley and an estimated 140,602households(https://data.london.gov.uk/dataset/ london-borough-profiles). The GreaterLondon Authority predicts the overallpopulation of Bromley will rise by62,067 to 392,974 in the next 20 years(https://data.london.gov.uk/dataset/ 2016-based-population-projections). The combination of longer lifeexpectancy, increasing birth rate andnet migration have all contributed to thesteady rise in the borough populationwhich has had an impact on theavailability and cost of housing.

Helping vulnerable young peopleaccess supported housing Providing safe and secureaccommodation, which will improvesafeguarding practice and supportthe increasing number of youngpeople living in temporaryaccommodation and needing beplaced in safe and appropriatehousing Ensuring we have appropriateaccommodation options for careleavers that has eliminated the needto use bed and breakfastaccommodation Assess the risk to care leavers inpotential accommodation prior toplacement


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The population of Bromley ispredominantly white (80%). The secondlargest ethnic group is Black (9%)followed by Asian (4%), and mixed andChinese/other with 3% respectively. Inrecent years Bromley has become moreethnically diverse. The number of BlackAsian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) grouphas gone up by 29% between 2011 and2015, from 48,000 to 62,000. The trendsuggests that the number of BAMEcommunity members will continue torise. The population is relatively old incomparison to other London boroughs.The population aged 65 or over isforecasted to increase by 82,500 (42%)by 2035 (www.poppi.org.uk). Bromleyalso has the lowest proportion of peoplein 16-24 and 25-34 age range in London(https://data.london.gov.uk/dataset/gla-population-projections-custom-age-tables). As the number of people agedover 65 in Bromley grows there will bemore pressures on services for olderhomeless people, and the need toensure appropriate accommodation isavailable. The tenure mix in the borough has notchanged significantly since the laststrategy was published. Homeownership in Bromley remains high at

73%, compared to 51% in the rest ofLondon. Whilst the private rented sectorhas grown steadily for consecutiveyears it remains relatively small sectorat 14% compared to the Londonaverage of 27%. Again the social rentedsector is also small, accounting for 13%of the borough stock compared to theLondon average of 23%. As with muchof London, demand for housing acrossall tenures outstrips supply. Buying a home in Bromley is becomingincreasingly expensive. House pricesrose by 45 % between 2012 and 2016and continue to rise. The majority of sales in Bromley duringthe 2017 were terraced properties,selling for an average price of £428,069.Flats sold for an average of £321,314,with semi-detached propertiesaveraging £572,482. Overall sold prices in Bromley over thelast year were 5% up on the previousyear and 20% up on the 2015 level of£415,739 (www.rightmove.co.uk/ house-prices/Bromley.html). Private rent levels have also risensharply and this has subsequentlyreduced access and security for lowincome households.


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Demand for social housing in Bromley ishigh and there were 3332 applicants onthe Housing Register at the end of May2018. A Housing Register is a way ofrecording the details of households whohave applied to the council forrehousing. Data from a HousingRegister can be used to monitor trends,assess demand and provide grounds forfuture housing development and thecreation of tailored housing adviceservices. Around 70% of people who apply are notincluded on the Housing Register.Households who have a combinedannual income of £60,000 or morebefore tax will not be accepted on to theregister. Also, households who havecombined savings or capital of £30,000or more will not be included. Also, in most circumstanceshouseholds must be currently residentwithin the borough boundaries and haveresided here for at least 5 years(continuous residence) before they areable to join the Housing Register.

Homelessness in Bromley

The Housing Options and Supportservice is an extremely busy service andthere is growing demand for housingadvice and assistance from residents inhousing need or at risk ofhomelessness. On average around 460 householdsapproach the Housing Options serviceeach month for advice. Most of thesecustomers receive advice andinformation to assist them to look foraccommodation or sustain their existingaccommodation. Some will be passedthrough for more intensive caseworkassistance and assessment. Thenumber of customers approaching hasincreased steadily over the past fiveyears.


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Applications and acceptances Whilst the number of households seenin housing need has continued to rise,effective signposting and interventionservices have meant that the number offormal homeless applications hasreduced from its peak in 2013/14, withmore than 80% of initial approachesdiverted from the need to make a formalhomeless application. However, in recent years, preventionoptions have become more difficult to

achieve, mainly due to reduced accessto affordable accommodation. Theproportion of households accepted ashomeless increased by 31% over thepast 5 years. This upward trend inhomeless acceptances has beenaddressed with focused preventionactivity. This work is likely to becomemore challenging given current high rentlevels, the full roll-out of universal creditin Bromley from 2018 and thecontinuing freeze on LHA rates.


Reasons for homelessness There have been significant changes inthe reasons for homelessness overrecent years with loss of private rentedaccommodation representing thebiggest increase. In the majority ofcases the reason relates to affordabilityin rents and in particular the shortfallbetween rental levels and LHA levels. Parents and relatives no longer willingto accommodate is one of the mainstated reason for homelessness. It isthought that an increasing number ofhouseholds have actually previously lost private rented accommodation and

have had to return to family or friendsfor often unsuitable interimaccommodation, later approaching thecouncil when this arrangementbecomes unsustainable. It is primarily the affordability gap andreduced supply of lettings that causedrising levels of homelessness withinBromley. Many individuals and familiessimply find themselves priced out of themarket and have little option other thanto approach the local authority forassistance.


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Homeless household type and composition Families account for the majority of accepted homeless households. 61% ofaccepted homeless households in temporary accommodation are lone parents.

Over the past 4 years the proportion of homelessness acceptances from ethnicgroups has increased, mainly accounted for by households who identify as Blackor Mixed. Since 2012/13 the number of people from BAME communitiesaccepted as homeless and in priority need has gone up by 38%, compared to the7% of people who identify as white. This shows that BAME communities aredisproportionally likely to experience homelessness. The BAME communityrepresents 18.9% of Bromley’s population, yet members of these communitiesmake up 28% of homelessness applications. This problem is not confined to Bromley and it is common for BAME populationsto be disproportionally affected by homelessness, both regionally and nationally.As of 2016/17 BAME communities made up 39% households accepted ashomeless and in priority need nationally, but only 15% of the total population inEngland.


Homelessness prevention and relief The Homelessness Prevention Team has been established to identify the triggersleading to homelessness and undertake intensive casework to preventhouseholds becoming homeless. The team work with households before ahousing crisis occurs to try and sustain their existing accommodation or secure anew home to avoid a period of homelessness.

Youth homelessness Young people are one of the groups most vulnerable to homelessness. In2016/17 125 young people aged 16- 24 were accepted as homeless by Bromley.This represents a reduction from the total of 197 acceptances for this age groupduring the previous year. Youth homelessness represents a distinct challengebecause of the potential additional vulnerability of young people and the need forsupported accommodation offering opportunities to acquire independent livingskills.


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The number of rough sleepers inLondon has increased significantlyover the last five years, until areduction during 2017/18. The numberof people rough sleeping in Bromley isstill relatively low in comparison toother London boroughs. CHAIN is the multi-agency databaserecording information about roughsleepers and the wider streetpopulation in London(https://data.london.gov.uk/dataset/chain-reports). CHAIN, which is commissioned andfunded by the Greater LondonAuthority (GLA) and managed by StMungo’s, represents the UK’s mostdetailed and comprehensive source ofinformation about rough sleeping. Services recording information onCHAIN include outreach teams,

accommodation projects, day centresand specialist projects such as theGLA-commissioned No Second NightOut (NSNO). The system allows usersto share information about work donewith rough sleepers and about theirneeds, ensuring that they receive themost appropriate support and thatefforts are not duplicated. During 2017/18, 47 people were seenrough sleeping in Bromley, more thandouble the number of people (21)identified in 2011/12, but a reductionof 10 from the 2016/17 total of 57. Of the 47 people seen rough in2017/18, 34 of these were new roughsleepers. The majority of roughsleepers were seen just once and 7were those that had returned to thestreet after a period away. The total of47 people includes 11 women and 36men.

Rough sleepers in Bromley

CHAIN Database – Age of Rough Sleepers Identified

Under 18 years

0

18 – 25years

5

26 – 35years

9

36 – 45years

10

46 – 55 years

145

Over 55

9

Total

47


Between 1st October and 30th November each year all local authoritiesundertake a rough sleeper count on a single night, or compile an estimate, andreport the total to central government.

London Borough of Bromley - Annual Rough Sleeper Count

No. of people found to berough sleeping on the nightof the count

Nov' 2014

2

Nov' 2015

4

Nov' 2016

3

Nov' 2017

5

The rough sleeper count only provides a snapshot of a single night in theborough. The count has been criticised as this may not reflect the true scale ofthe problem. During the last rough sleeper count in Bromley 5 rough sleepers were found.


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The number of households intemporary accommodation has risensignificantly in the past seven years. At the end of April 2018 there were1,563 households in temporaryaccommodation placed by BromleyCouncil. This represents an increaseof over 6% from the same period lastyear.

62% of placements in temporaryaccommodation are currently outsidethe borough. Challenges around the discharge ofduty have caused a slowing in thenumber of households moving onfrom temporary accommodationmeaning that the net inflow intoaccommodation is more than thoseleaving.

Temporary accommodation


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78% of households in Temporary Accommodation are families (pregnant or withat least one dependent child). The most common household composition inTemporary Accommodation is single-parent households (61%). 17% ofhouseholds in Temporary Accommodation are couples with dependent childrenand 19% are single-person households.

Family Composition of Households in Temporary Accommodation(2018 Quarter 1)


Households in Temporary Accommodation by Ethnicity (2018 Quarter 1)

Average days in Temporary Accommodation


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Households in nightly paid accommodation

Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4

2014/15

Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4

2015/16

Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4

2016/17

Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4

2017/18

Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4

2014/15

Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4

2015/16

Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4

2016/17

Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4

2017/18


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Like many local authorities, a largeproportion of the temporaryaccommodation we use is nightly-paidaccommodation procured within theprivate rented sector. The demand for TA has increaseddramatically with all London boroughschasing the same limited supply. Inresponse, the TA market has moved tonightly-paid models ofaccommodation (essentially privaterented accommodation offered on aless secure, more expensive nightlyrate basis) rather than the moretraditional longer-term leasearrangements. This shift has beendriven by providers as nightly paidarrangements are more lucrative. The difference between the cost oftemporary accommodation units andthe maximum recoverable rent (set byLocal Housing Allowance) is high,averaging over £7,000 net cost perunit per annum. The Council has a policy of neverusing shared facility bed andbreakfast accommodation for familieswith dependent children and youngpeople. Intensive work has allowed usto comply with this policy and sourcealternative accommodation.

There is a shortage of affordable,local, self-contained temporaryaccommodation so accommodationmay be:

Temporary accommodation supply

In borough or out of borough Self-contained or with sharedfacilities Managed or un-managed Short-term or long-term

The Council seeks to providetemporary accommodation for peopleclose to where they were previouslyliving, but if this proves impossibleattempts will be made to place peopleas close as possible to the area. There is a shortage ofaccommodation that can be securedin the borough to meet statutoryhousing need. It is not possible toprovide accommodation withinBromley for every household owed aduty and accommodation securedmay be at some distance from theborough. In addition welfare reform hasinfluenced the location of placementsfor some families on the grounds ofsustained affordability because ofbenefit they are now entitled to receivetowards their housing costs.


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Homeless households are oftenplaced outside the borough and thesedecisions are properly evidenced andexplained, both in terms ofdemonstrating available housingsupply and in assessing the suitabilityof any individual placement. The Temporary AccommodationPlacement Policy sets out how weprioritise homeless households foraccommodation according tolocation. Priority for available in-borough accommodation will begiven to certain households with aparticular need to be housed in theborough of Bromley. For example, priority will be given tothose who are receiving treatment fora physical or mental health conditionfrom a specialist hospital unit whichcannot be transferred to another NHSservice or where they are at a criticalpoint in their treatment. n-borough priority does not guaranteean in-borough placement, but ifsuitable and affordableaccommodation is available inBromley, it does give householdspriority over others without thisassessed priority.

Traditional models of TA have centredon use of existing social housingstock or long-term leasing of privaterented sector accommodation. Work continues to maximise supply inthe private sector but it is no longerpossible to provide a sufficient supplyof accommodation within borough tomeet statutory housing needs andcomply with our legal duties. Thesituation is worsened by theincreasing number of private landlordsoffering their accommodation throughthe more lucrative nightly-paidarrangements. Alternative sources ofaccommodation supply are beingsought, for example through use ofvacant properties, conversion offormer residential care facilities and aproperty purchase programme (“MoreHomes Bromley”). The acute pressures necessitate that,like all London boroughs, we arehaving to consider new strategies totackle growing demand and lookto more innovative schemes and alsofurther afield in London and beyond toprovide sustainable housing solutions.


Temporary Accommodation Placements (at 2018 Quarter 1)

In borough 38%

Out of borough 62%


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Since 2013 the number of sociallettings has been reducing, boththrough re-lets and new buildproperties becoming available. Therewas a slight increase during the lastyear but the number is stillsignificantly smaller than in the yearsup to 2013.

Developing housing associations havehighlighted increasing difficulty inobtaining sites and anticipate lowerlevels of new build developments as aresult of changes in development andhousing association financeframeworks.

Social and affordable rented accommodation

The waiting times for social housing have gradually increased over the last 5years. Currently a typical waiting time for a two bedroom property is 4 – 5 years.

Number of lets per year through Bromley Homeseekers


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Historically Bromley has beensuccessful in assisting homelesshouseholds to secure private rentedaccommodation as a long-termhousing solution. However rising rentsovertaking and leaving behind theLocal Housing Allowance and the lossof direct housing benefit payments tolandlords means that the privaterented sector in Bromley is out ofreach for an increasing number ofhouseholds.

The average rent for a 2-bedroomproperty in Bromley is around £545per month (over £6,500 per annum)more than the maximum benefitpayable to assist with housing costs. The widening gap between the LHAand actual rents has reduced thesupply of private rented sectorproperties able to be secured toprevent or relieve homelessness hasreduced year-on-year.

Private rented sector

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Part 2

The HomelessnessStrategy 2018-2023


The three main causes of homelessness in Bromley are:

It is important that the strategic responses we deliver to prevent and relievehomelessness are appropriate and responsive to these identified circumstances. The consultation exercise undertaken as part of the development of this strategyhelped us to identify the priorities of our partners and stakeholders:

More affordable accommodation More support for those considered to be vulnerable for example young and oldpeople, victims of violence and those that suffer from ill health, mental orphysical. The right advice and support at the right time in the right place

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Loss of private rented

accommodation

Parents or friendsno longer willingto accommodate

Relationshipbreakdown and

domestic violence


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Early identification

and prevention

of homelessness

Over 5,000 households approach theBromley Housing Options serviceeach year for advice. This number isprojected to increase as a result ofrising housing costs, the impact ofwelfare reform, population growthand provision of new services underthe Homelessness Reduction Act. The homelessness reviewdemonstrated disproportionate levelsof homelessness amongst particulargroups in Bromley and this evidencewill inform our decisions whendesigning our services and allocatingresources. In recent years Bromley has increasedfocus on early intervention and

homeless prevention. Given thechallenges faced around increasinghomelessness it is critical that wecontinue to put homeless preventionat the heart of everything we do. Webelieve this will significantly increasethe chances of positive outcomes forpeople at risk of becoming homeless.We have adopted a person-centredhousing and support solution whichseeks to ensure effective informationand advice is available at every stageto maximise the positive outcomesfor those who are or may facehomelessness. This requiresprofessionals across agencies to beable to identify the risk ofhomelessness and know how best torespond.


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Maximise the level of homelessprevention by:

Our goals

Delivering accessible informationservices Providing effective advice andassistance in the right place at theright time Assisting people to stay in theirown homes or access alternativeaccommodation before becominghomeless

Challenges

The number of people at risk ofhomelessness increased from 451households during 2014/15 to 831during 2016/17 – the reduction to630 during 2017/18 reflects thenew focus on prevention activityand the additional staff andresources directed to this activityand this must be maintained The most common reasons forhomelessness are that family orfriends are no longer willing or ableto accommodate, loss of privaterented sector accommodation andrelationship breakdown includingdomestic abuse 796 households in Bromley wereaffected by the benefit cap byFebruary 2018 House prices and rents have risensteeply in recent years


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Deliver accessible services:

To achieve these we will

Making sure our services areaccessible and appropriate for thepeople most likely to need our help Working in partnership with ourvoluntary and statutory partners toprovide the right advice at the righttime Comply with the HomelessnessReduction Act and support peoplethrough agreed PersonalisedHousing Plans and work togetherwith our customers to prevent orrelieve their homelessness

Provide outreach housing advicesurgeries to reach the mostvulnerable sectors of ourcommunity Use our funding and resources tosupport people to sustain theiraccommodation or secure a newhome


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Achieving positive

outcomes for our

young people

It is critical that we support andsafeguard young people at risk of, orexperiencing homelessness andensure they are placed in suitableaccommodation which meets theirneeds and helps them to achieve theiraspirations and potential.

Working closely with Children’s SocialCare and undertaking preventativework is important to minimise thenumber of young people experiencinga housing crisis.


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Our goals

Deliver better outcomes forchildren and families by reducingyouth homelessness Enable young people to accessappropriate accommodation andsupport service that meet theirneeds Provide coordinated services totackle the wider causes ofhomelessness

Challenges

The number of 16-24 year-oldsaccepted as homeless during2017/18 was 141 – although areduction on the total for theprevious year (197) this figure stillrepresents a challenge as theseyoung people may requiresupported accommodationbecause of their potentialvulnerability 254 young people were open to theleaving care team in June 2018


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Ensure no young people are placedinto bed and breakfast and allyoung homeless people are placedinto accommodation where theyare safe and their needs are met Work alongside the Leaving CareTeam to ensure young peopleleaving care are found appropriateaccommodation and support tolead independent lives Undertake a comprehensive reviewof young people’s supportedaccommodation to ensuresufficient supply and quality-assured services


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Increase the supply

of accommodation

Access to affordable long-termaccommodation, particularly withinthe borough, has become increasinglyproblematic as demand is high, costsare rising and social housing stock islimited. Securing good quality affordabletemporary accommodation has alsobecome increasingly difficult. Rentshave risen and LHA has not keptpace. Homeless households arespending longer in temporaryaccommodation, and this has placeda significant financial burden on theCouncil. Increasingly we have to look beyondBromley to meet demand and identifytemporary and longer-termaccommodation for the discharge ofduty which is affordable andsustainable. It is often necessary toplace households out of borough andin some cases outside London inmore affordable locations. The Council has a temporaryaccommodation placement policy

and placements are subject to agreedcriteria and individual risk, priority andsuitability assessments. We will use s106 Agreements toincrease the supply of affordablehousing as part of new developmentsin the borough. The Local Planincludes a requirement that alldevelopments of more than 11 unitsinclude 35% affordable housing,which includes intermediate tenuressuch as shared ownership. The Council must also make best useof all existing available stock throughmechanisms such as encouraginghousing associations in the boroughto implement fixed-term tenancies.These tenancies allow providers toreview the circumstances of theirtenants and only issue a new tenancyif the property is still suitable for theirneeds and their income and savingsare not at a level that would enablethem to access a different tenure tofree up a social let for a household ingreater need.


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Our goals

Increasing the supply of affordableaccommodation by:

Challenges

A reducing supply of housingassociation properties becomingavailable Rising private sector rents andlimits on Local Housing Allowancemeaning fewer properties areaffordable for benefit-dependenthouseholds The difficulty of securing move-onaccommodation meanshouseholds are staying longer intemporary accommodation

Making greater use of the PRS forhomeless households and those atrisk of becoming homeless Reconfigure our portfolio oftemporary accommodationproperties and reducing use ofexpensive nightly-paidarrangements Explore joint-procurementarrangements with other boroughto quantify potential savings Working with developmentpartners to build more affordablehomes To make the best use of existingstock to meet housing needs


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Promote of out-of-Londonaccommodation for householdswho cannot afford Bromley orLondon Review incentives offered toprivate landlords and agents toincrease the number of landlordswilling to take referrals Hold regular Landlord Forums Deliver 400 units through the MoreHomes Bromley property purchasescheme Publish a new Housing Strategy toset out the strategic aims of newsupply Explore opportunities to developexisting council or housingassociation-owned land forconversion and use for modularhomes or new build affordablehousing

Align procurement with adult andchild services to secureappropriate accommodation andsupport services Work with planning colleagues toensure that affordable housingprovision is secured on newdevelopments and maximise theuse of s106 payment in lieucontributions for new supply Review the Allocations Scheme toensure it supports the delivery ofthe Homeless Reduction Act andfocuses on homeless preventionand discharge of the mainhomeless duty


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Achieve positive

outcomes by improving

health and wellbeing

and breaking the cycle

of homelessness

The threat of, or actualhomelessness, is a traumaticexperience and can impact negativelyon the mental and physical wellbeingof individuals and families. Somehomelessness people have complexneeds, which may include physical ormental ill-health, disability, anoffending history, financial difficultiesor substance misuse issues. We understand that without thenecessary person-centred support foreach individual, outcomes may not bepositive and tenancies not sustained.We need to address the family needsas a whole and help households todevelop the skills and resilience tomanage independently in the longterm.

Homelessness can also disconnectpeople from support networks andservices and the longer a householdremains in unsettled accommodationthe harder it is to protect vulnerableadults and children. We musthouseholds placed outside Bromleyhave appropriate support and accessto services. Rough sleepers are likely toexperience a range of complex needswhich are rarely able to be addressedby one service. In addition to the risksfaced by rough sleepers, roughsleeping can also have a negativeimpact on the wider community.Tackling rough sleeping requireseffective collaboration betweenagencies.


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Our goals Challenges

The number of rough sleepers inBromley has more than doubledsince 2011/12 - 47 rough sleeperswere identified in 2017/18 The recent JSNA health needsaudit highlighted the highproportion of single homelesspeople with complex needsrelating to physical and mentalhealth The time spent in temporaryaccommodation is increasing Due to increasing need the Councilhas to place households intotemporary accommodationoutside of the borough to meet itsstatutory housing duties - this isoften at some distance fromsupport networks The number of homelessnessacceptances, because of domesticviolence has remained consistentwith 78 cases in 2017/17 and 70 in2017/18 Welfare reform has increased thenumber of people facinghomelessness because theycannot afford theiraccommodation costs

Minimise the impact of welfarereform Provide person-centred support toprevent homelessness and sustainaccommodation Build resilience Reduce the risk of rough sleeping


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Provide money and debt advice toresolve homelessness and ensurehouseholds are able to sustainfuture living expenses Review existing floating supportand supported accommodationand ensure future commissioningmeets identified needs Work with Bromley & CroydonWomen’s Aid to improve pathwaysfor domestic abuse victims leavingrefuges Work closely with partners in thecriminal justice sector throughMulti-agency Risk AssessmentConference (MARAC) and Multi-agency public protectionarrangement (MAPPA)arrangement to provideappropriate support, includinghousing

Complete a Joint Strategic NeedsAssessment (JSNA) health needsaudit to improve links with healthto better understand and addresshealth needs of homeless people Undertake the annual headcount tomonitor levels of rough sleepingand encourage all partner agenciesto contribute to the CHAINdatabase Work closely with StreetLink andLondon Street Rescue to identifyand support rough sleepers awayfrom the street


To deliver our Homelessness Strategy we will have annual Action Plans for ourrelevant service areas. Each quarter the Homelessness Strategy Project Groupwill monitor the actions and performance measures to monitor our progress. Performance reports will be regularly presented to Senior Officers, ElectedMembers and key external stakeholders through our Homelessness Forum.

Delivering the Homelessness Strategy

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AppendicesAppendix 1: Key points from consultation Appendix 2: Members of the Homelessness Strategy Working Group Appendix 3: Glossary Appendix 4: Bibliography


The Homelessness Strategy was developed with the help of members of thepublic organisations from the statutory, voluntary and housing sectors. Consultation workshops took place in February and March 2017 with HousingAdvice Teams, stakeholders and service providers to better understand theneeds of homeless households and those at risk of homelessness in ourcommunity. The strategy takes into account the views of our community and partners; wehave ensured that their views are reflected in this strategy.

Appendix 1: Key points from consultation

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The key messages that came from the consultation are:

The current housing situation is mostly affecting the ability of people to affordtheir rent and housing costs Having housing related issues is causing stress and ill health Very little access to private sector accommodation because Landlords arereluctant to let to tenants in receipt of benefits It was felt that the best way to manage this and identify those at risk isthrough partnerships, joint working and advice The top two initiatives put forward to prevent homelessness are, housingstock development and educationGreater communication to deliver prevention workIt was felt that the best way that Bromley Council could assist agencies is towork with developers to increase housing stockThere needs to be greater awareness of our Housing Needs service and theoptions available to peopleThe public felt that the best way to reduce homelessness is to reduce cuts andincrease housing


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The keys messages that came from the questionnaires are:

More affordable homes need to be built in the borough More night shelters and drop in centres There needs to be more of an holistic approach in the public sector Prioritise people with mental health and drug and alcohol problems. There needs to be more research on the specific needs of minority groups likethe LGBT, BME etc. Invest more in drug, alcohol and probation Support existing organisation committed to helping homeless people


Affinity Sutton Bromley Citizen Advice Bureau Bromley Shelter Bromley and Croydon’s Women’sAid Centrepoint Community Links Crystal Palace Community Trust(CPCT) Health Watch Bromley Hestia Homeless Link Job Centre Plus Keniston Housing AssociationLatch Project

Appendix 2: Members of the Homelessness StrategyWorking Group 2018 - 2023

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LBB - Bromley Children’s ProjectLBB - Early Intervention andSupportLBB - Housing DepartmentLBB - Leaving CareThe Links Medical Practice Living Well Mayflower MOAT Homes No Second Night Out Penge Churches HousingAssociation Radcliffe Housing Society Thamesreach


A

Appendix 3: Glossary

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Action Plan: A number of identified steps that must be taken, or tasks that must be completed for astrategy to perform. Affordable homes: Homes that are no more than 80% of the average local market rent. Arrears: Sum of money that is owed and should have been paid earlier.

B Bed and Breakfast Accommodation (B&B): Most B&BS used by the council are not like hotel accommodation, and are often runspecifically for homeless households. Residents placed in B&B may have to sharefacilities with other households/residents.

C Choice Based Letting: An online system that shows what social properties are available to rent. It is for peopleaccepted onto the housing register who can place bids on properties and these will beranked according to priority. Combined Homelessness and Information Network (CHAIN): It is a multi-agency database to gather information about rough sleeping in London. Consultation: It is a meeting where people/groups discuss a subject/topic and share views andexperience.

D Discretionary Housing Payment (DHP): It is a short term payment from a local authority to help cover some housing costs. DHPdoes not have to be repaid by the resident. Domestic Abuse: Women’s Aid has defined abuse as an incident or pattern of incidents of controlling,coercive, threatening, degrading and violent behaviour. It includes sexual violence, bypartner, family member or carer.


F Forums: It is a meeting/ medium where ideas and views on a particular issue can be exchanged.People can talk about a problem or matter especially of public interest.

G Greater London Authority (GLA): It is strategic city wide government for the city of London. The GLA holds the mayoraccountable, investigates issues and influences policy development.

H Homeless: You may be homeless if you live in unsuitable housing, do not have the right to staywhere you are, or if you are sleeping rough. Homelessness prevention: Has been defined by the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) asa local authority “providing people with the ways and means to address their and otherneeds to avoid homelessness”. Homelessness relief: It is when a local authority is unable to prevent homelessness, but helps someone tosecure accommodation, despite not being obligated to do so. Homelessness Strategy: Homelessness Act 2002 states that local authorities must have a strategy forpreventing homelessness in their district. Housing association/Registered Social Landlord (RSL): It is a non-profit organisation, and they rent properties to low incomes households withparticular needs. Their portfolio consists of social and affordable rented properties, andthey provide options for low cost home ownership. Housing demand: It is a market driven concept and relates to the type and number of houses thathouseholds will choose to occupy based on preference and affordability. Housing need: It is an indicator of existing deficit: the number of households that do not have accessto accommodation that meet certain normative standards. Housing tenure: The legal status under which someone has the right to live in a property. The two mostcommon forms of tenure are home ownership and renting. Home-ownership is when aproperty is owned outright or bought with mortgage or loan. The second type of tenureis renting, and it has two forms, and they are social and private renting.


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J Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA): A process by which local authorities, clinical commissioning groups and other publicsector partners jointly describe the current and future health and wellbeing needs of thelocal population and identifying priorities for action.

L Landlord: Owner of a property, and the landlord leases their property to an individual or business,and they are called tenants. Leaving care: It is a service for young people aged 16 plus to 21. It ensures that young people do notleave care until they are ready, and that they receive effective support once they haveleft. Local Housing Allowance: It is a housing benefit that helps people renting from private landlords. The LHA isadministered by the local council. Lodge: It is a specialist accommodation project for long term rough sleepers.

M Mortgage: It is a legal agreement by which a bank/building society, lends money at interest, and inexchange they take the title of the property. Over a set period of time, the borrowermust repay the loan in order to own the property. If the borrower fails to meet thecondition of the agreement, the mortgage provider can repossess the property. Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangement (MAPPA): Multi-agency public protection arrangement ensures the successful management ofviolent and sexual offenders in the community. Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Conference (MARAC): Where information is shared on the highest risk domestic abuse cases betweenrepresentative of local police, probation, health child protection, housing practitioner,Independent Domestic Violence Advisors (IDVAs) and other specialist from thestatutory and voluntary sectors.


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N Nightly-paid accommodation (NPA): Is used for temporary accommodation and the landlord is paid on a nightly basis whichis more expensive than other types of accommodation such as those provided on alease. No Second Night Out: It is a London-wide project aimed at ensuring that people sleeping rough do not spend asecond night out on the streets. Not for profit: It is means that any surplus generated is reinvested in the pursuit of a social goal. Inthis context profit would be reinvested into building more affordable home for lowincome households.

O One stop shop: It offers a multitude of services for people, and it provides a convenient and efficientservice.

P Private Rented Sector (PRS): The PRS are properties owned and rented out by a private landlord. It is the fastestgrowing tenure in the country, and 14% of Bromley residents live in private rentedhousing. Public Sector: It is controlled by the state, owned and operated by the government. The public sectorprovides services for citizen and does not seek to generate a profit.

R Rough sleeping (or street homeless): It is the most visible form of homelessness. Rough sleeping has been defined as peoplesleeping or bedded down in open air, building or other places not designed forhabitation.

S Social services: A government service that promotes the welfare of vulnerable people. Social servicebetters the wellbeing of children, adults and the elderly. Stakeholder: It is person or group that has an interest in an organisation. Stakeholders can affect orbe affected by an organisation’s actions, objectives and policies. Statutory homelessness: Homelessness defined within the terms of the homelessness legislation anddetermining when local authorities will have a duty to offer accommodation.


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T Temporary accommodation: Local authorities place households in an interim accommodation, when permanenthousing is not available, or when households are awaiting a decision on theirhomelessness application. Third sector: Encompasses registered charities and other organisations such as associations, self-help groups and community groups, and they are ‘value-driven’. This means they aremotivated by social goal and not profit.

W Welfare reform: When government changes or amends social welfare policies. The goal is to reducenumber of individuals/ families dependent on government assistant, so claimants ofbenefits can be self-sufficient. It affects how much monetary support people areentitled to.

Support Needs: It is a mixture of practical, financial and emotional support for people who need extrahelp to manage their and be independent (including mental health, problematic drugand alcohol use and access to social supports)


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A A Social Lettings Agency for London? Viability and potential, Future of London, retrievedfrom: https://www.trustforlondon.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Social-Lettings-Agency-Discussion-April-2016-2.pdf Average House Prices, Ward, LSOA, MSOA, Land Registry, retrieved from:https://data.london.gov.uk/dataset/average-house-prices-ward-lsoa-msoa Average Income of Tax Payers, Borough, HM Revenue & Customs, retrieved from:https://data.london.gov.uk/dataset/average-income-tax-payers-borough/resource/392e86d4-f1d3-4f06-a6a5-7fcd0fd65948# Average Private Rents, Borough, Valuation Office Agency, retrieved from:https://data.london.gov.uk/dataset/average-private-rents-borough

B Bromley Joint Strategic Needs Assessment 2016, Bromley MyLife portal, retrieved from:https://bromley.mylifeportal.co.uk/jsna-and-health-and-wellbeing-strategy-bromley.aspx Bromley joint strategic needs assessment 2014, Bromley MyLife portal, retrieved from:https://bromley.mylifeportal.co.uk/uploadedFiles/Bromley/Bromley_Homepage/Document_Library/JSNA_2014_Sections/4%20Ward%20Profiles(1).pdf

Appendix 4: Bibliography

D DCLG Affordable Housing Supply, Borough, Department for Communities and LocalGovernment, retrieved from: https://data.london.gov.uk/dataset/dclg-affordable-housing-supply-borough DWP, The impact of recent reforms to local housing allowances: summary of keyfindings, retrieved from: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/local-housing-allowance-monitoring-the-impact-of-changes


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E Ethnic Groups by Borough, Office for National Statistics, retrieved from:https://data.london.gov.uk/dataset/ethnic-groups-borough

F Fixing our broken housing market, Department for Communities and Local Government,retrieved from:https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/590464/Fixing_our_broken_housing_market_-_print_ready_version.pdf

G GLA Population Projections- Custom Age Tables”, Greater London Authority, retrievedfrom: https://data.london.gov.uk/dataset/gla-population-projections-custom-age-tables

H Homelessness and health research, Homelessness Link, retrieved from:http://www.homeless.org.uk/facts/our-research/homelessness-and-health-research Homelessness data: notes and definitions”, DCLG, retrieved from:https://www.gov.uk/guidance/homelessness-data-notes-and-definitions, Homelessness Reduction Act 2017, April 27, 2017, retrieved from:http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2017/13/pdfs/ukpga_20170013_en.pdf Households on Local Authority Waiting List, Borough, Department for Communities andLocal Government, retrieved from: https://data.london.gov.uk/dataset/households-local-authority-waiting-list-borough Housing Benefit Claimants, Borough, Department for Work & Pensions, retrieved from:https://data.london.gov.uk/dataset/housing-benefit-claimants--borough Housing Tenure of Households, Borough, and Office for National Statistics, retrievedfrom: https://data.london.gov.uk/dataset/housing-tenure-households-borough

I Inequality, Housing and Employment Statistics, Institute of race relations, retrievedfrom: http://www.irr.org.uk/research/statistics/poverty/

L Live tables on homelessness, Department for Communities and Local Government,retrieved from: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/live-tables-on-homelessness#statutory-homelessness-and-prevention-and-relief-live-tables London Borough Profile”, Greater London Authority, retrieved from:https://data.london.gov.uk/dataset/london-borough-profiles


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M Mortgage and Landlord Possession Actions, Borough, Ministry of Justice, retrievedfrom: https://data.london.gov.uk/dataset/mortgage-and-landlord-possession-actions-borough

N Number of Density and Dwellings by Borough, Department for Communities and LocalGovernment, retrieved from: https://data.london.gov.uk/dataset/number-and-density-of-dwellings-by-borough

O On my own: The accommodation needs of young people leaving care in England (2014),Barnardo’s, retrieved from: http://www.barnardos.org.uk/on_my_own_report_final.pdf

S Shared accommodation rate for under 35s” (2016), Shelter website, retrieved from:https://england.shelter.org.uk/housing_advice/housing_benefit/shared_accommodation_rate_for_under_35s South East London Strategic Housing Market Assessment (2014), Cobweb consulting,retrieved from:https://www.lewisham.gov.uk/myservices/planning/policy/LDF/evidence-base/Documents/SELondonSHMA2014.pdf Suzanne Fitzpatrick, Hal Pawson, Glen Bramley, Steve Wilcox and Beth Watts, Thehomelessness monitor: England 2017(London: Crisis, 2017), 32.

P Projecting Adult Needs and Service Information (PANSI), Institute of Public Care,retrieved from: http://www.pansi.org.uk/ Projecting Older Population Information (POPPI), Institute of Public Care, retrieved from:http://www.poppi.org.uk/

R Registered Social Landlords Average Rents, Department for Communities and LocalGovernment, retrieved from: https://data.london.gov.uk/dataset/registered-social-landlords-average-rents Registered Social Landlord Housing Stock, Department for Communities and LocalGovernment, retrieved from: https://data.london.gov.uk/dataset/registered-social-landlord-housing-stock Rough Sleeping in London (CHAIN reports), retrieved from:https://data.london.gov.uk/dataset/chain-reports


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T The black and minority ethnic housing crisis (2004), Shelter, retrieved from:http://england.shelter.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0009/48555/The_Black_and_Ethnic_Minority_Housing_Crisis_Sep_2004.pdf

U UK foodbank use continues to rise, retrieved from:https://www.trusselltrust.org/2017/04/25/uk-foodbank-use-continues-rise/ UK House Price Index, Land Registry, retrieved from:https://data.london.gov.uk/dataset/uk-house-price-index

Numbers 2011 round household projection, Greater London Authority, retrieved from:https://data.london.gov.uk/dataset/2011-round-household-projections 2015 round population project, Greater London Authority, retrieved from:https://data.london.gov.uk/dataset/2015-round-population-projections 2016 based population projections”, retrieved from:https://data.london.gov.uk/dataset/2016-based-population-projections

W Welfare Reform and Work Act Bill, July 9, 2015, retrieved fromhttps://publications.parliament.uk/pa/bills/cbill/2015-2016/0051/16051.pdf, Wilson, W. (2017). Under-occupying social housing: Housing Benefit entitlement(Briefing Paper Number 06272). retrieved fromhttp://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/SN06272/SN06272.pdf Wilson, W and Barton C (2016), Local Housing Allowance caps and the social rentedsector (Briefing Paper Number 07833) retrieved fromhttp://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/CBP-7833/CBP-7833.pdf

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August 2018 | Homelessness Strategy 2018- 2023

Housing Needs LONDON BOROUGH OF BROMLEY Civic Centre, Stockwell Close Bromley BR1 3UH

A product of the Strategy, Performance and Engagement division