Prevention of homelessness duties: consultation analysis

6. Views of people with lived experience

The final section of the consultation focused on the views of those with lived or living experience of housing crisis, homelessness or risk of homelessness. These questions^[19] received fewer responses than the rest of the consultation. A total of 78 relevant comments were provided by five individuals and 11 organisations, including Scottish Women's Aid and Aff The Streets who consulted with, and responded on behalf of, people with lived experience of homelessness. Analysis of responses to Q97-Q108 is presented in two sections; first, the stories of two individuals who shared their experiences of homelessness are set out; this is followed by thematic analysis of the wider responses to questions in this section. A full list of the lived experience questions is in Appendix C.

Lived experiences of homelessness

Respondent A experienced homelessness twice in her life. The first time, her life in a privately rented property became untenable due to her landlord's invasive behaviour, and harassment from neighbours which her partner was unable to cope with due to mental health issues. After leaving the property, the couple were found to be intentionally homeless and struggled to find alternative accommodation. Respondent A experienced homelessness a second time when her landlord sold the property she was renting; she was then housed in a housing association property. In both instances, Respondent A said she did not receive support from any public bodies and did not know where to go for help.

Respondent B experienced homelessness as a result of domestic abuse. She struggled to access support, describing a culture where many assumed that she was able to cope and not a priority for help because she was employed, well-educated and presented as functioning. In reality, she was struggling with mental health issues and suicidal thoughts. Scottish Women's Aid supported her and helped her to access housing support. She and her children were eventually offered a tenancy away from her abuser, but it was in an area where she felt was unsafe due to the prevalence of drugs and crime within the community.

Actions taken by local authorities

Very few responses detailed actions taken by local authorities to prevent homelessness. Most described being offered little or no support and relying on other agencies, health services and third sector organisations. Two responses described individuals being offered tenancies by their local authorities, but the accommodation was deemed unsuitable or unsafe. One respondent said their council did a housing benefit agreement with their letting agent. Another had a positive experience with a member of staff at the council who completed a homeless assessment and helped with next steps.

Actions which could have prevented homelessness

Several suggested actions which could have prevented homelessness including: mental health needs assessment and follow-on care; authorities taking action to address harassment and anti-social behaviour from neighbours; greater access to family mediation services; better signposting and communication between public services; more support to access financial assistance; cases being treated with greater urgency; having processes in place to support women experiencing domestic abuse; and relaxing requirements around accessing housing support (e.g. need for documentation or National Insurance number).

A few responses mentioned agencies or professionals who could have intervened, including social work, health visitors and the police, but did not identify any specific actions that would have prevented them from becoming homeless. In some cases, respondents felt that nothing could have been done to prevent them from becoming homeless.

Services accessed prior to becoming homeless

Respondents discussed interactions with a range of services, including housing and homelessness services, social work, police, GPs, health visitors, mental health teams, education providers, Jobcentre Plus and charities including Scottish Women's Aid and Salvation Army. Access to support in rural areas was described as particularly poor. A few reported that they did not access any support at all throughout their experience.

A few with lived experience of homelessness reported that services they interacted with recognised warning signs and offered help in response, for example by providing food, clothing or financial assistance or referring them to other services or organisations. Others, however, said that despite showing clear signs of distress and raising concerns over their precarious or dangerous living situation, they were dismissed, not taken seriously or not treated with any level of urgency by various services. Scottish Women's Aid's response highlighted cases where this inaction left women with no option but to stay with an abusive partner, exposing themselves and their children to further violence and abuse.

Views on 'ask and act' duty

Views on the proposed 'ask and act' duty were mixed. Some expressed support as it may allow public bodies to detect issues earlier and prevent homelessness. Others questioned the sensitive and personal nature of the issue and how questioning would be handled by public services. Respondents described a need for public service staff to undertake trauma-informed practice training if the duty is implemented. Scottish Women's Aid raised concerns about confidentiality and called for data sharing between agencies to be subject to service user's consent. One noted the duty would have prevented their homeless.

Views on changing existing legislation

There were mixed views about changing the law so that prevention needs to be taken up to six months before an individual becomes homeless. Some felt it would have helped in their case by giving them more time to prepare; others disagreed, describing experiences where approaching services two years in advance did not prevent their homelessness. Respondents broadly agreed they would know if they were six months away from homelessness; indicators would include eviction notices, financial troubles and struggling with bills, family breakdown, and leaving care or prison. Most felt they would know where to go in these situations, though Aff the Streets noted that those with lived experiences are more likely to access support as they are likely to have done so in the past. There was support for the requirement to provide stable and suitable accommodation, although questions were raised over the exact definition of 'stable and suitable', and respondents felt that safety should be a priority when providing accommodation.