Supporting Better Futures for People at risk of homelessness

Housing Support Duty &Monitoring Prevention of Homelessness

3rd September 2014Alan Brand – Housing Options Team LeaderKaren Perratt- Housing Support Co-ordinator

The Housing Support Duty

A duty on local authorities to conduct a housing support assessment for applicants who are unintentionally homeless or threatened with homelessness and that they have ‘reason to believe’ need the housing support services prescribed in regulations.

Prescribed Services

(a) advising or assisting a person with personal budgeting, debt counselling or in dealing with welfare benefit claims; (b) assisting a person to engage with individuals, professionals or other bodies with an interest in that person's welfare; (c) advising or assisting a person in understanding and managing their tenancy rights and responsibilities, including assisting a person in disputes about those rights and responsibilities; and (d) advising or assisting a person in settling into a new tenancy.

Renfrewshire Housing Advice and Homeless Services

Prevention Team

Rent Deposit Guarantee Officer

Youth Prevention Officer

Mediation Officer

Prevention Officer – (Section 11)

New Start Youth Case Worker

Homeless Addiction Liaison Officer

Prevention Officers

Housing Advice

Housing options Team Leader

Housing Options Officers

RSL Liaison Officer

Housing Liaison Officer (MAPPA)

Housing Support Team

Homeless – Housing Support Officers

Housing support Officers based in

2 Community Teams

Commissioned support from external providers

Follow on Support to Supported Accommodation

Better Futures Assessment Matrix-•Accommodation•Health•Safety and Security•Social and Economic Wellbeing•Employment and Meaningful Activity

Services Delivered-• Housing Support•Addiction Services•Groupwork – Open Doors, A Home For Keeps – 18 – 25, 26+ •Adviceworks• Employability•Health- access to GP, Optician, Dentist, Chiropody

Assessment Tool and Services

How and what we monitor

Record every assessment of support need via mailboxSupport providedSupport declined/refusedNo support needAdmitted to supported accommodation

Better Futures DatabaseHousing support baseline assessmentsHousing Support ReviewsReport on outcomes, service provided by need, duration

Work in progress

Discussions with HSEU to:

oIncrease reports availableoAdd fields to show tenure typeoStarting to record inappropriate referrals oMeasure outcomes beyond support for sustainability (SHBVN)

Contact Details: alan.brand@renfrewshire.gov.uk0141 618 5800karen.perratt@renfrewshire.gov.uk0141 618 5895