Presentation given by Mike Penny, Homeless Services Manager from the City of Edinburgh, UK at a FEANTSA seminar on "Key elements for a successful local homeless strategy: How Europe can support local authorities to improve the fight against homelessness", hosted by the Committee of the Regions, June 2007

1. Homelessness – a rights-based
approach
How can I help?
or
What do I have to do?
Mike Penny
Assessment, Homelessness and Support Manager
City of Edinburgh Council
1 June 2007

2. Outline
• Legislation
• Homeless households
• Culture - services
• Long-term solutions

3. Homeless legislation
• Housing (Scotland) Act 1987
– Duties on local authorities
• Housing (Scotland) Act 2001
– Identify outcomes
• Homelessness etc (Scotland) Act 2003
– Rights approach

4. 1987 Act
• Duty on the local authority to help people
who meet the following tests:
– Are you homeless?
• Need for assistance
– Are you vulnerable?
• Priority for assistance
– Is it your fault?
• Entitled to assistance
– Do you have a connection with this area?
• Entitled to housing in this authority

5. 2001 Act
• Advice and Assistance to all
• Reasonable opportunity to all
• Appropriate permanent accommodation
for priority
• Broaden definition of homelessness (56
day period)
• Right to review

6. 2003 Act
• Extend duties to all households:
– Priority need – extension and ending
– Suspend local connection
– Intentionality – power not duty
• Target that in 2012:
“Local authorities will have a duty to provide
permanent accommodation to all people assessed
as being unintentionally homeless”

7. Outcomes
• No one needs to sleep rough
• Existing homelessness becomes more visible
• Sustainable resettlement is secured for
homeless people
• Fewer people become homeless in the first
place
• Duration of homelessness is reduced

8. Number of households
19
0
1,000
2,000
3,000
4,000
5,000
6,000
87
/8
8
19
89
/9
0
19
91
/9
2
19
93
/9
4
19
95
/9
6
19
1987
97
/9
8
19
99
/0
0
20
01
/0
2
20
03
/0
4
Homeless Presentations in Edinburgh since
20
05
/0
6

9. What housing is available?
Housing market in Edinburgh
Private lets No of properties
No of lets per year
Owner occupied
RSL
CEC

10. CEC lets
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
% other lets
50%
% lets to homeless
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
2002/03 2003/04 2004/05 2005/06

11. Edinburgh House prices
£180,000
£160,000
£140,000
£120,000
£100,000
£80,000
£60,000
£40,000
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
00
01
02
03
04
19
19
19
20
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
20
20
20
20

12. No. of CEC Lets/ Priority Need
Households
19
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000
6000
0
99
/00
20
00
/01
20
01
/02
20
02
/03
20
03
/04
20
04
/05
20
05
/06
Supply and Demand
Lets
P.N.
Homeless
Households
Acceptances

13. Culture shift
• Putting customer at the centre
• Focus on housing options
• Promote choice within market
• Doing with rather than for
• Developing motivation
• Encouraging personal responsibility
• Prevention better than cure

14. Causes of homelessness 2002/03 and 2005/06
Harrasment/safety Other reasons
isues
Leaving insecure Leaving parents
accommodation
Leaving institution
2002/03
2005/06
Loss of tenancy
Leaving partner
Leaving friends
2002/03 – 71.5%
2005/06 – 71.3%

15. Circles of Support (MP)
Circle of Intimacy
Circle of Friendship
Circle of Participation
Circle of Exchange
Professionals

16. Circles of Support (RK)
Circle of Intimacy
Circle of Friendship
Circle of Participation
Circle of Exchange
Professionals

17. Sustainable solutions
• Homelessness is not solely a housing
issue
• Homelessness is about social isolation
• Resolving homelessness is about building
supports
• Prevention is priority

18. Contact details
Mike Penny,
Manager,
Assessment, Homelessness and Support
1 Cockburn Street
Edinburgh
EH1 3BJ
mike.penny@edinburgh.gov.uk