Homelessness Prevention and Strategy Group minutes: 18 January 2024

Attendees and apologies

Attendees

• Minister for Housing, Paul McLennan
• Cllr Maureen Chalmers, Community Wellbeing Spokesperson, COSLA (Co-chair)
• Mike Callaghan, COSLA
• John Mills, ALACHO
• Alison Watson, Shelter Scotland
• Maggie Brunjes, Homeless Network Scotland
• Aaliya Seyal, Legal Services Agency
• Ruth Robin, Healthcare Improvement Scotland
• Shea Moran, Aff the Streets
• Martin Boyle, Change Team
• Angela Keith, SOLACE
• Jules Oldham, Scottish Women’s Aid
• David Ramsay, Change Team
• Hugh Hill, Simon Community Scotland (attending in place of Lorraine McGrath)
• Lara Balkwill, the Rock Trust (attending in place of Kate Polson)
• Maeve McGoldrick and Neil Cowan, Crisis (attending in place of Matt Downie)
• Susie Fitton, SFHA (attending in place of Sally Thomas)
• Gavin Smith, Chartered Institute for Housing

Also in attendance

• Janine Kellett, Scottish Government
• Alice Hall, Scottish Government
• Karen Grieve, Scottish Government
• Louise Thompson, Scottish Government
• Abbie Darge, Scottish Government
• Matthew Howarth, Scottish Government
• Kerry Shaw, Scottish Government

Apologies

• Matt Downie, Crisis
• Sally Thomas, SFHA
• Lorraine McGrath, Simon Community Scotland
• Susanne Millar, Glasgow HSCP
• Kate Polson, the Rock Trust
• Janice Stevenson, LGBT Youth

Items and actions

Welcome members

Paul McLennan welcomed members to the meeting.

Presentation of the Measuring Impact Task and Finish Group’s final report

 Gavin Smith and Maggie Brunjes presented on the report and recommendations of the Measuring Impact Task and Finish Group. The group has developed a new framework, the Ending Homelessness Together Monitor. This will measure the impact of the Ending Homelessness Together action plan and provide a framework for measuring progress made against 10 outcomes. The aim is to reduce reporting burdens.

A final report has been published with 10 short term (2024/2025) and three medium term (2025/2026 and beyond) recommendations. These recommendations aim to improve data and reporting on homelessness with minimal impact on resource and funds. The group recommends a broad sector consultation on the suitability of the monitor.

Discussion in response to the final report

Janine Kellett welcomed the report and the outcomes. She noted, however, the very high number of indicators and noted that not all indicators have data sources.

 Maggie Brunjes explained that the aim is to better use data we have, improve data and fill data gaps. One of the recommendations of the group is peer research led by the change team to span experiential indicators. The group also recommends an annual sector survey to check the indicators annually.

 Two things remain outstanding, but they will be considered in the broad sector consultation. These are the prevention duties and how to measure the extent to which people access coordinated health and social care. Gavin Smith added that there is a need to streamline data so LAs are not being asked multiple times for the same data.

 Cllr Maureen Chalmers said that the report will be taken to community wellbeing board and special interest group  by COSLA.  She recommended that community planning partnerships be involved.

 Lara Balkwill said she would like to see young people and care leavers featured more prominently. There is a discrepancy between the definition of a young person in the report (under 26) and the way we currently record a young person in data collected (under 24).

 Alison Watson suggested that the outcomes that sit outside of the homelessness scope could be considered at the MOG or COSLA’s special interest group. PM agreed that he could take this forward with the MOG and Cllr Chalmers. Janine Kellett added that officials will consider what meeting of the MOG would be best for this.

 Shea Moran said it is important for people to understand why we are collecting data and that guidance would be helpful. This will minimise ‘don’t know’ answers. Aaliya Seyal asked how we can get to a place where people aren’t having to provide data repeatedly.

 Jules Oldham said the gender lens could be improved and is happy to be involved further to support this. Scottish Women’s Aid helpline figures could be useful to consider.

 Ruth Robin said evidence suggests that those experiencing homelessness rely heavily on unscheduled care as opposed to screening and planned care. We must consider this data and ensure that equalities are fully considered. Community planning partnerships will be very useful.

Action:

• SG officials to consider the discussion of outcomes that sit outside of the homelessness scope at the MOG

Proposal to review HPSG

A discussion took place on the next steps for HPSG and the expectations of the group now that the four task and finish groups have concluded or almost concluded.

Janine Kellett thanked members for their valuable work to date in advising local and national government on the best way to deliver our ambitions to end homelessness.  She said she would welcome the group’s steer on next steps and on the current direction of travel set out in our Ending Homelessness Together action plan. Janine asked if the group feels the priorities in EHT remain the right ones (i.e. prevention, rapid rehousing and Housing First). She also asked members if the expertise they provide on the group is fully exploited. A short survey will be sent out so that members can consider these questions in more detail.

John Mills said that homelessness prevention needs to be at the heart of what we do but, as more LAs declare housing emergencies, we must focus on short term housing supply. The budget announcement in December created concern across the sector. Heads of housing are now focused on housing emergencies.

Alison Watson echoed John's thoughts: prevention is where we want to be, but we are very far away from that now. Policies such as Housing First and RRTPs will not work unless we tackle the problem around housing supply.

Neil Cowan said prevention remains at the heart of what they want to achieve but agrees with John and Alison. Neil wondered if there was room to consider the way that HPSG works alongside the MOG when undertaking the review of the group. This will make sure both groups are as effective as possible and if we could share actions and outcomes between groups.

Cllr Maureen Chalmers welcomed the review of HPSG, and added that her workload as a councillor is now largely weighted towards work relating to housing supply issues.

Action:

• SG officials to send round a short survey for the group to consider in more detail

Scottish Government Draft Budget 2024-25

Aaliya Seyal expressed concern about the reduction in funding for third sector services that work in homelessness.  She said this will place greater pressure on already stretched statutory services.

Alison Watson said that for policies to be seen to have meaning and for the sector to have confidence in them, they must be aligned with budgets. Policy commitments are not currently aligned with investment.

Cllr Maureen Chalmers welcomed the DFM’s update that housing will be prioritised if further funds become available.

Jules Oldham provided a brief update on the fund to leave.  The fund is now up and running and is receiving good feedback. Jules will send a written update over the next couple of weeks to update the group in detail.

Neil Cowan asked if the £35 million funds to prevent and end homelessness, announced by the DFM in her budget statement, could be explained to the group. Janine Kellett explained that homelessness funding for 2024-25 had been maintained at broadly similar levels to 2023-24.  She agreed to send a short note to members of HPSG.

Action:

• Janine Kellett to share an update providing a more detailed explanation of the £35 million

Group updates 

Task and Finish Groups

• three groups have now reported and one will report soon (supported accommodation)
• the National Acquisition Plan (a key recommendation from temporary accommodation task and finish group) was established last year and has a healthy pipeline of projects from LAs. More Homes colleagues are confident these will be approved before the end of the financial year
• the headline message from the homelessness prevention task and finish group was that the new duties must be adequately resourced. A financial memorandum will accompany the bill. Local authorities were invited to provide an estimate of the costs of the new duties.  There was a good response (18 LAs responded) and their comments are informing the work on the financial memorandum

RRTP update

John Mills will circulate the note of the last RRTP meeting on the 5 December. The data suggests no disproportionate impact as a result of the changes to local connection legislation thus far. However, there is a need to improve the transfer process – particularly for those with support needs.

Change Team update

David Ramsay said that the Change Team are looking for a change how they interact with the rest of HPSG and are now looking to include asks of HPSG as part of their updates. Change Team Roadshows will be taking place in Aberdeen, Falkirk, Fife, South Ayrshire and South Lanarkshire, and they will be looking to the group to understand if there are any gaps in the topics covered.

Maggie Brunjes shared that there are concerns on the frontline around the emerging housing emergencies and resourcing issues. Paul McLennan hopes to attend one of the Change Team Roadshows.