Homelessness Prevention and Strategy Group

A short-life sub-group established to make recommendations to reduce the use of temporary accommodation.

Its remit was to consider: 

• how to reduce the number of households living in temporary accommodation 
• how to reduce the length of time they spend there

The group shared their findings in a report published in March 2023. They made 15 recommendations centred on three priority areas.

Membership 

• Alison Watson, Shelter Scotland (Co-Chair)
• John Mills, ALACHO and Fife Council (Co-Chair)
• Alice Tooms-Moore, Shelter Scotland (Secretariat)
• Janine Kellett, Scottish Government
• Karen Grieve, Scottish Government
• Sara White, Scottish Government
• David Pentland, Scottish Government
• Aaliya Seyal, Legal Services Agency
• Alison Kennedy, Change Lead for All in for Change
• David Kidd, Homeless Network Scotland
• Emma Doyle, Public Health Scotland
• Faith Ougham, Change Lead for All in for Change
• Gary Quinn, Glasgow City Council
• Gavin Yates, Homeless Action Scotland
• Gordon MacRae, Shelter Scotland
• Heather McCluskey, Centre for Homelessness Impact
• Janeine Barrett, North Ayrshire
• Ligia Teixeira, Centre for Homelessness Impact
• Mike Callaghan, COSLA
• Nicky Brown, City of Edinburgh Council
• Ruth Robin, Healthcare Improvement Scotland
• Ruth Whatling, Homeless Network Scotland
• Sarah Walters, Crisis
• Tyler Cary, Change Lead for All in for Change

Please contact the secretariat of the Temporary Accommodation Task and Finish Group for papers, presentations and other documentation that members considered as part of their work: Alice_Tooms-Moore@shelter.org.uk.

Context

There are over 13,000 households in temporary accommodation in Scotland and the average time spent in temporary accommodation has also been increasing. The latest statistics covering the period April 2021 to September 2021 show that there was an increase in the last quarter for the number of households in temporary accommodation and increases in the last two quarters for households with children and the number of children in temporary accommodation.  It is clear that, in many cases, housing officers are working hard to accommodate household preferences, which can result in longer stays.  However, long stays in temporary accommodation are detrimental to the household and expensive – making tenants question whether they can afford to go back to work.  In some instances, people cannot realise their right to suitable temporary accommodation.  The situation has been exacerbated by the pandemic with the number of households in temporary accommodation reaching a peak of 14,151 in September 2020.  Even so, numbers in temporary accommodation have remained stubbornly at around 10,000 since 2009.  

The Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Housing and Local Government would welcome a renewed focus and radical thinking on temporary accommodation.  She is keen to see innovative policy options for a redesign of temporary accommodation and how it is managed, funded and shaped.

Remit 

The Temporary Accommodation Task and Finish Group (TA T&FG) will consider how Scotland can turn the dial on the statistics with the aim of reducing the number of people living temporary accommodation and the length of time they stay there.

All local authorities have rapid rehousing transition plans (RRTPs), which aim to reduce reliance on temporary accommodation (TA) as people are supported to keep the home they have or are placed into suitable permanent homes more quickly.  

The group will consider existing good practice and learn from councils who are transforming the use of TA such as Perth and Kinross and those that have turned around challenges to provide TA such as Glasgow City Council.  

It will assess what further ambition is required from RRTPs to transform the use of temporary accommodation, particularly for households with children.  As part of its deliberations, the group will take account of the recommendations in the Improving housing outcomes for women and children experiencing domestic abuse report.  

The group will consider how it can engage with the Shared Accommodation Task and Finish Group which will consider what models of temporary and permanent accommodation will best meet the needs of people with multiple and complex needs.

The group will review other factors that impact on the use of temporary accommodation, including charging practices and affordability concerns, and identify any perverse incentives that may exist in current policy.  To inform the discussion on funding models, the group will wish to take note of the recent Legal Services Agency report on temporary accommodation charges and the final report of the Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Action Group. The recent Homeless Action Scotland report on Exclusion of People in Work from Homeless Services is also of interest.

Outputs

The group is asked to produce interim solutions/recommendations before the end of 2022 and deliver a final report when it has concluded its discussions.  The group should aim to reach consensus on a small number of practical measures (up to 10) rather than produce a long list of recommendations.

A short-life sub-group established to make recommendations to ensure successful implementation of the homelessness prevention duties.

Its remit was to: 

• consider what groundwork is needed to ensure successful implementation of Scotland’s homelessness prevention legislation
• consider how to galvanise other parts of the public sector into action and what resources and training might be required to provide clarity to duty holders
• reflect on the best way to ensure a coherent approach to prevention, and how the new legislation will align with existing prevention pathways
• gather evidence to make the economic and moral case for cooperation to address homelessness
• consider the development of an engagement/influencing strategy to ensure buy in from the widest range of professional structures outside of the homelessness sector
• consider any important lessons that can be learned from implementation of similar legislation in England and Wales. Members will want to consider the benefits of a place-based approach to preventing homelessness alongside the implementation of the new duties as that has the potential to bring in groups and organisations who have an interest in homelessness prevention, but no duty

Membership

• Matt Downie, Crisis (Co-chair) 
• Ewan Aitken, Cyrenians (Co-chair) 
• Sherina Peek, ALACHO 
• Michael Wood, Association of Directors of Education in Scotland 
• Laura Hoskins, Community Justice Scotland 
• Mike Callaghan, COSLA 
• Pat Togher, Glasgow Health and Social Care Partnership 
• David Ramsay, Homeless Network Scotland 
• Matthew Busher, Kingdom Group Housing Association 
• Avril McKay, Public Health Directorate within NHS Lothian 
• Angela Leitch and Emma Doyle, Public Health Scotland 
• Ann Carruthers, Renfrewshire Council 
• Kate Polson, Rock Trust 
• Shea Moran, Rock Trust and Change Lead for All in for Change
• James Marple, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh 
• Alison Bavidge, Scottish Association of Social Workers 
• Eileen McMullan, Scottish Federation of Housing Associations 
• Elizabeth Cooper, Scottish Prison Service 
• Grant McPhail, Scottish Refugee Council
• Gordon MacRae, Shelter Scotland 
• Angela Keith, SOLACE 
• Suzie Mcilloney, South Ayrshire Council and Change Lead for All in for Change
• Sharon Egan, South Lanarkshire Council 
• Nicky Miller and Karen Swift, Turning Point Scotland 

A short-life sub-group established to make recommendations of more formal methods of measuring and evaluating progress on ending homelessness.

Its remit, which focused on how to more effectively measure progress to understand if efforts to end homelessness are working, was to recommend: 

• an outcomes-focused definition of ending homelessness 
• what evidence will be needed to measure the impact of the actions towards ending homelessness and how any evidence gaps can be filled
• implementation, delivery and reporting of the measures 
• improvements to equality evidence to increase understanding of the needs and experiences of different groups 

Membership 

• Maggie Brunjes, Homeless Network Scotland (Co-chair)
• Gavin Smith, Fife Council and Co-Chair of the Chartered Institute of Housing Scotland (Co-chair)
• Graeme Gardner, Aberdeen City Council
• Sherina Peek, Association of Local Authority Chief Housing Officers
• Ligia Teixeira, Centre for Homelessness Impact
• Heather McCluskey, Centre for Homelessness Impact
• Ashley Campbell, Chartered Institute of Housing
• Mike Callaghan, COSLA
• Francesca Albanese, Crisis
• Alison Kennedy, East Ayrshire Council and Change Lead for All in for Change
• Rosalind Hamilton, East Renfrewshire Council
• Jack Rillie, Glasgow Alliance to End Homelessness
• Kara Heron, Glasgow Alliance to End Homelessness
• Ruth Robin, Healthcare Improvement Scotland
• Suzanne Fitzpatrick, iSphere
• Emma Doyle, Public Health Scotland
• Tim Pogson, Scotland’s Housing Network
• Eileen McMullan, Scottish Federation of Housing Associations
• Debbie King, Shelter Scotland
• Sharon Egan, South Lanarkshire Council
• Nicola McQuiston, Wheatley Group
• Janine Kellett, Scottish Government
• Karen Grieve, Scottish Government
• Brian Finch, Scottish Government

A short-life sub-group established to make recommendations on how supported accommodation can make a positive contribution to preventing and responding to homelessness.

Its remit was to: 

• consider the Shared Spaces report published in October 2021 and the role that shared and supported accommodation should play in Scotland’s transition to rapid rehousing, in prevention duties and in our vision for housing to 2040
• focus on how supported accommodation can make a positive contribution to preventing and responding to homelessness
• reach consensus on the best way to ensure that supported accommodation is a settled rather than a temporary housing option for the people who need it
• consider the role of the health and social care sectors as joint planners and commissioners of supported accommodation and how recommendations will fit with plans for a National Care Service

Membership

• Maggie Brunjes, Homeless Network Scotland (Co-chair)
• Eileen McMullan, Scottish Federation of Housing Associations (Co-chair)
• Michelle Major, Homeless Network Scotland (Secretariat)
• Sherina Peek, ALACHO
• Anthony Ross, Change Lead for All in for Change
• Mike Callaghan, COSLA
• Vic Walker, Crossreach
• Ann Craig, Glasgow HSCP
• Angela Dowdalls, Glasgow HSCP
• Fiona Morrison, Hillcrest Homes
• Yvette Burgess, Housing Support Enabling Unit
• Janeine Barrett, North Ayrshire Council
• Louise Smith, Queens Cross Housing Association
• Kate Polson, Rock Trust
• Helen Carline, Rowan Alba
• Janine Kellett, Scottish Government
• Lorraine McGrath, Simon Community Scotland
• Gail Gourley, Trust Housing Association
• Patrick McKay, Turning Point Scotland