Health, Housing and Adult Social Care Scrutiny Committee

9 October 2024

 

Report of the Corporate Director – Adult Social Care and Integration and the Director of Housing and Communities

 

Draft Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy 2024-29

Summary

1.        It is proposed to present to the 12 December Executive Committee Meeting the Homelessness & Rough Sleeping Strategy for 2024-29. The Strategy will guide work in this area for the following five years and will seek to enlist partners, stakeholders and citizens in a plan to make homelessness rare, brief and non-recurring.

2.        The Strategy builds on existing successes and partnerships, offering pathways to suitable housing that can be sustained with high quality, person-centred support.

3.        Under the Homelessness Act 2002, all housing authorities must have in place a Homelessness Strategy based on a review of all forms of homelessness in their district. The strategy must be renewed at least every 5 years. The social services authority must provide reasonable assistance.

4.        The Strategy is important because it gives focus and structure to the range of services and initiatives which deal with, and seek to prevent, homelessness and rough sleeping.  York faces a particular challenge of homelessness because of the shortage of suitable, affordable housing.

 

        Background

5.        York’s previous Preventing Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Together Strategy 2018-2023 was adopted in 2018.  Since 2023 a review of the this Strategy has been underway, in accordance with Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) expectations. Advice from DLUHC has indicated that having a review process underway is the priority and a strategy that is approved during 2024 would be acceptable.

6.        A summary of the progress made during the 2018-23 strategy period is attached as Annex A of this report.

7.        The Council Plan highlights that in York the average cost of houses are at least 10 times average earnings and rents rising 10% over the last year (2021-22). There are 4.5 per 100,000 people sleeping rough for the same period compared to 3.1 regionally. By a different measurement 24 people were sleeping rough on the last Thursday in July 2023. The new administration demonstrated its commitment to reducing homelessness by including “number of people sleeping rough” as one if its new key performance indicators.

8.        In addition, provision of good quality housing to meet the range of needs across the City’s residents is recognised as central to the Council’s 2023-27 Plan as part of Core Commitments, Affordability and Health and Wellbeing, and to the vision of “One City, for all”.

9.        The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (“NICE”) guidelines published last year highlighted that people experiencing homelessness face significant health inequalities: mortality is around ten times higher than the rest of the population and life expectancy is around 30 years less. Barriers accessing health and social care services is attributed in part to the high numbers of preventable deaths within this population. The Council plan contains a focus on fairness and health inequalities with the ambition to reverse the widening trend of health inequalities in our city. It is recognised in the Health and Wellbeing Strategy that housing access and affordability is fundamental in meeting the aims of the Strategy and tackling wider determinants of health.

10.    The current administration has a clear commitment to end rough sleeping.

 

Consultation

11.    The proposed Strategy has been developed in consultation with a range of organisations and individuals, including those with lived experience of rough sleeping and homelessness as well as staff and organisations involved in delivering services to this community, both in York and elsewhere.  Those involved in the consultation include:

·        Primary Care - representing GPs

·        TEWV - Mental Health Services

·        Integrated Care Board (ICB)

·        Clients of homelessness and rough sleeping services

·        Public health including addiction services

·        Police

·        Probation

·        Corporate Parenting Board

·        Adult Services Boards bringing Health & Social Care together

·        Staff working in hostels and support services and neighbourhood co-ordinators

·        Registered Social Landlords

·        University / Centre for Housing Policy

·        North Yorkshire homelessness & mental health connection group

·        Mappa operational group

·        York Council for Voluntary Service

·        Tang Hall Smart

·        Domestic Abuse Housing Alliance

·        Tenants Panel

·        Changing Lives

·        Salvation Army

·        Restore

·        CareCent including Lived Experience

·        Peaseholme Charity

·        Community Safety Hub

·        North Yorkshire Police City Centre contact

·        LIFE – Lived Insights from Experience

·        Community Links

·        Other organisations working with single homeless people

 

12.    Consultees were engaged via one-to-one conversations, group discussion and consultation (including two multi-disciplinary events held in September 2024), in team meetings and via written submission.

13.    The conclusions drawn from consultation are that:

a)   Services should focus on the needs of the individual and will therefore vary from person to person.

b)   Where possible, processes should be simplified, particularly in relation to the steps and actions necessary to secure permanent housing. However, it was recognised that an evidence base for decision making should always be put in place in order to ensure and demonstrate fair decision making.

c)   Mulit-agency working is key to success. Service users may have complex needs (for example, substance misuse support as well as mental health care and physical medical needs) and the delivery of these services in a co-ordinated and timely way is important.

d)   Limited availability of social housing is often a barrier to resolving homelessness, especially in a context where the welfare benefits system limits access to the private rented sector in York. However, for clients with more complex needs a multi-disciplinary support package is needed to successfully sustain a social housing tenancy.

e)   Information sharing and building relationships between teams are important in successful partnership working, alongside formal governance arrangements, data monitoring and system design.

 
Options      

14.    The council is required to have a Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy.

15.    When formulating this proposed Strategy we have examined context and evidence, and reviewed good practice from other areas.

16.    Option 1: Support the Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy 2024-29 as proposed, subject to incorporation of comments from the Committee as appropriate

17.    Option 2: Formal recommendation by the Committee of amendments to the Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy 2024-29 prior to presentation of the final report to Executive

 

Analysis

 

Context and evidence base

18.    A primary driver of homelessness in the City of York is the City’s ongoing housing affordability challenge. Using data from the council’s statutory homelessness returns alongside delivery data and the Local Housing Needs Assessment[1], a shortfall is clearly evidenced which is exacerbated by the central government policy of Local Housing Allowance freeze since 2020 despite significant local private rent increases in this time. Local Housing Allowance is expected to be reindexed to the lowest 30% of rents in April 2024 however a review of the government’s indicative uplifted figures indicates a significant shortfall is expected to remain[2].

19.    This has been exacerbated by the cost of living crisis since 2021 in food and other essentials which has increased housing and homelessness pressures at the same time as longer term rough sleeping has been tackled through initiatives in the last strategy period.

20.    From a review of 40 lower market advertised private rental properties in the City of York in December 2023, none of the 1-4 bedroom homes were affordable within the 2024 Local Housing Allowance level. Average shortfalls are significant and act to effectively prevent the lowest income households to access the private rented sector.

 

21.    Statutory homelessness duties for prevention or relief are high relative to annual social housing lets.

 

 

 

22.    Annual housing delivery falls consistently far below the assessed annual need of 592 additional affordable homes (Local Housing Needs Assessment 2022).

 

 

23.    In addition key services such as mental health clinical care and social care are undergoing unprecedented pressure, with an estimated increase of 60% in adults with moderate to severe depressive symptoms nationally (p15) and a more than doubling of estimated 17-19 year olds with experiencing a mental health condition (p14).[3]

24.    Around 150 successful homelessness prevention cases are achieved annually through the Housing Options service, significantly reducing the overall homelessness impact in the City. 50-70 of these are typically households including children.

 

25.    A leading cause of homelessness for all household types is “Family and friends no longer willing to accommodate”. In many cases this is likely to be related to housing market and benefit cuts pressures as noted above, and/or unmet needs support issues. For households with children, domestic abuse is the single highest cause of homelessness, highlighting the need for priority actions to reduce the occurrence. From 2023/24 onwards, newly accepted refugees accommodated within York have now become a significant homelessness needs group. This has not been the case historically and is a result of Home Office policy changes in respect of the City of York.

 

26.    City of York Council has a relatively low use of Temporary Accommodation, and one of the highest proportions of Temporary Accommodation in Local Authority owned hostels, at 83% (December 2023 snapshot data). This greatly reduces the financial pressures that other councils have seen through use of expensive Private Sector Lease and Bed and Breakfast arrangements.

 

 

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/live-tables-on-homelessness

 

27.    An extensive snapshot evidence gathering exercise was undertaken within the Resettlement Pathway in January 2022. Full details are in the link below, summarised in the table below. This highlights the needs of individuals at risk of rough sleeping or with other complex needs and in the process of resettlement following homelessness,.

https://democracy.york.gov.uk/documents/s171078/Annex%201%20York%20Homelessness%20Pathways%202022.pdf

 

Table 1: Resettlement Pathway Needs

Needs type / category

Number of service users

% of total service users

 

Total service users in snapshot

323

100%

<----- More frequentin service            Less frequent—-->

Experience of trauma

220

68%

Moderate/High Stress & Anxiety

178

55%

Current / past TEWV involvement

171

53%

Mid/High needs complexity

139

43%

Repeat presentations

136

42%

Female service users

103

32%

Contact with criminal justice: Medium / High / Significant

87

27%

10+ years “in the system”

61

19%

Alcohol & Drug Dependence*

58

18%

High / significant level MH needs

48

15%

 

* Alcohol & Drug Dependence more frequently present in:

·        Multiple Presentations: 40%

·        High Complexity: 60%

·        Older males: 25%

 

28.    The UK Government provides specialist support through the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities and the principles of this strategy are considered consistent with its “Ending rough sleeping for good”[4] plan and “From harm to hope: A 10-year drugs plan to cut crime and save lives”[5].  However, resources are not currently made available at the scale necessary to deliver on the ambitions of these national strategies[6]

29.    A good practice review of comparable locations around the country has been carried out to inform themes and priorities for the review.

Evidence base: Conclusions

30.    The evidence base reinforces the insights gained through consultation undertaken. The key conclusions are that:

·        An acceleration of social housing provision is needed to tackle homelessness, but needs to be provided alongside a multi-disciplinary support model that is person-centred and trauma-informed to enable clients with complex needs to sustain a home successfully

·        Early intervention and prevention is an essential priority to achieve positive outcomes for individuals and to make the best use of resources across homelessness systems

·        There are significant successes to learn from in existing service delivery alongside gaps and barriers to address to achieve the strategy aims of making homelessness rare, brief and non-recurring

·        This informs an understanding of needs and a system that can be designed to meet these effectively, in a person-centred way

 

Homelessness and Rough Sleeping: Needs Pyramid

Rounded Rectangle: Person-centred systems respond to needs throughout the pyramid

 

 

Proposed Strategy and its Governance

The Proposed Homelessness & Rough Sleeping Strategy, 2024-29

31.    The strategy aims to build on existing successes and partnerships to make homelessness rare, brief and non-recurring, offering pathways to suitable housing that can be sustained with high quality, person-centred support.

32.    The new Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy takes a Housing First approach for single homelessness clients, focusing on the rapid re-housing of those facing homelessness, ideally avoiding time in a hotel or temporary accommodation. Where an individual or family need help to establish and maintain their tenancy, we will support the delivery of cross-agency support services. We will give attention to the specific needs of those with disabilities will work to prevent rough sleeping and tackle domestic abuse. We will work with partners to develop and sustain services which achieve these goals.  The supply of suitable and affordable homes is key to the success of this strategy, alongside prevention of homelessness and keeping people in their own homes where possible. We will take action, harness resources and work in partnership to make more homes available. Raising the level of ambition is critical to reducing the number of children in unsuitable housing and at risk of homelessness, with long-term benefits to the City across Education, Skills, Health and Wellbeing.

33.    Provision of good quality housing to meet the range of needs across the City’s residents is recognised as central to the Council’s 2023-27 Plan  as part of Core Commitments, Affordability and Health and Wellbeing, and to the vision of “One City, for all”. Important elements of the Health and Wellbeing Strategy  and Economic Strategy are also met by support for vulnerable households at a time of crisis to achieve sustainable housing .

34.    The proposed Homelessness and Rough Sleeper Strategy 2024-2029 established a number of objectives:

·        The overarching goal of the strategy is to build on existing successful delivery and partnership to make homelessness rare, brief and non-recurring.

·        This will be supported by an action plan focussed on key priorities and investment opportunities, including Housing First led system transformation, more affordable homes for client groups with and without children, and high quality homelessness prevention services.

·        The strategy will provide a basis for partnership work and strategic partnership development.

·        Consider progress during 2018-23 and identify needs to build on.

·        Enhanced performance monitoring, data and governance frameworks.

35.    Key themes inform the Strategy delivery:

 

 

Table 2: Strategy themes

Ref

Theme

Key elements over 2024-29

1.

Expansion of Housing First with 250 additional 1-bed homes over strategy period

Expansion of Housing First through a formal partnership investment model to increase revenue funding, alongside strategic purchases of suitable flats into the HRA stock and Registered Provider commitment

Multidisciplinary Team providing holistic support for service users with complex needs, including e.g. dual diagnosis

This takes into account core elements of the Resettlement Review recommendations and builds on existing service strengths including the Mental Health Housing First provision

2.

Resettlement service redesign delivering review recommendations

Incorporate Resettlement Review recommendations into the new services, including a revised model with Mental Health specialism and considerations of other specialist service areas

3.

Expansion of social housing

Maximise delivery through Section 106 planning permissions and the council’s Housing Delivery Programme, in addition to work with social housing partners to increase the level of Homes England grant funded investment in the City

Priorities informed by the Local Housing Needs Assessment 2022 or successor evidence base document[7]

4.

Expansion of Temporary Accommodation: providing needs evidenced

Analysis of needs with proposals for additional Temporary Accommodation to ensure capacity is sufficient for families faced with homelessness. Options include purchase of additional properties into the Housing Revenue Account for ‘dispersed’ Temporary Accommodation. 

5.

Homelessness Prevention and Tenancy Sustainment

Develop City of York Tenancy Sustainment Strategy for CYC as Landlord and in partnership with other Registered Providers in the City

Build on homelessness prevention offer and support high quality delivery of Homelessness Reduction Act statutory duties

6.

Tackling Domestic Abuse

Achieve Domestic Abuse Housing Alliance (DAHA) accreditation. Support survivors, prevent homelessness where possible, including preventative work with perpetrators and individuals at risk of becoming perpetrators.

7.

Revised governance structure and performance framework

A new governance structure and enhanced data reporting to establish clearly “what success looks like” in the new service delivery model as an effective performance framework.

Regular performance review integrated into ongoing service improvement to achieve the strategy objectives.

 

36.    Key action areas to inform Strategic Action Plan with performance measures and responsibilities in final strategy document include:

37.    Across both families, and singles/couples: Targeted increase in provision of affordable housing [theme 3, 5 and 6]

·        Maximise s106 provision and other additional social housing of the right types of Social and Affordable Rent homes

·        Fully accessible homes for single people / couples, and families

·        Increase stock of larger accommodation

·        Prevention of homelessness

·        To consider development of Tenancy Sustainment strategy across all household types and tenures, taking into account context of Local Housing Allowance shortfalls

38.    Singles/couples: Getting the right support in place, tenancy sustainment, maximising contributions from partners and statutory agencies and addressing distinct client groups’ needs [themes 1 and 2]

·        Deliver system transformation through Housing First and rapid rehousing utilising additional homes plan noted above, incorporating best practice research from University of York[8] and national Pilot projects research[9], with a proposal to prioritise as a York and North Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority project

                                         i.    225-250 additional social housing 1-bed flats for Housing First, with further for general needs to 2029/30: through both acquisitions, new build and RP partnerships

·        Multidisciplinary team including “dual diagnosis” to meet both addiction and mental health needs, and peer support / experts by experience, informed by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence guidelines and other best practical.

·        The insourcing of Resettlement systems provides a strong foundation for this ambition[10]

39.    Families: For family households homelessness is driven primarily by a shortage of affordable housing and high private rents relative to mortgage costs, the evidence base indicates that support needs and behaviours are not the primary factor albeit can be a cause in a small minority of cases. In this context, approaches are as follows:

·        Increase supply of affordable houses with 2+ bedrooms [theme 3]

·        Develop a Family Intervention Tenancy Policy to reduce eviction risks for council tenants with complex needs.

40.    All household types: Embed and establish strategic partnerships, governance arrangements/structures to deliver cross-cutting solutions informed a clear performance framework [theme 7].

41.    All household types: Embed customer feedback, engagement and consultation including quantitative measures within the service continual improvement approach and performance framework [theme 7].

42.    Achieve Domestic Abuse Housing Alliance accreditation with associated actions to reduce homelessness from this cause [themes 5 and 6].

Delivery of Housing First led system transformation for rough sleeping customers

43.    Development of a clear model and ambition for Housing First would facilitate additional revenue resourcing of wraparound support through enhanced partnerships with other agencies who work with client groups at risk of homelessness. Further properties would be brought into the scheme through strategic acquisitions and development of suitable properties into council’s asset base, leveraging funding to contribute to long-term sustainability of the Housing Revenue Account, in addition to maximising partner Registered Provider delivery.

 

44.    This will build on the success of this innovation to date including the work developing a Mental Health Housing First pathway. 56 Housing First tenancies for individuals with highly complex needs and at times, challenging behaviour have been delivered since 2015/16, with 37 tenants remaining. This would be supplemented by development of suitable specialist accommodation schemes, for clients with particular needs for supported housing.

45.    The transformation would only be possible with significant resource commitment from other partners such as health services. This could be built on a shared ambition and governance framework to deliver the strategic outcomes tackling single homelessness and sustaining effective support pathways.

46.    The approach could be summarised as a person centred, 3-strage pathway for homelessness clients:

1.       Come in doors – and let's assess what help and support you need.

 

2.       Let's work together to get things sorted – in your own home and with help and support tailored to your needs.

 

3.       Move to normal – achieving your goals and ambitions.

 

47.    This incorporates both Rapid Rehousing and Housing First. It would also use, for the first step in the journey, a hostel-type building for a short period of time (7 to 10 days) so that those with complex and other needs can be assessed/triaged for the tailored package of support to be put in place. This first step, when necessary, will be on a short-term basis and the focus will be to get the individual into their own home, as quickly as possible.

48.    Expansion of Housing First through a formal partnership investment model to increase revenue funding, alongside strategic purchases of suitable flats into the HRA stock and Registered Provider commitment. This incorporates core elements of the Resettlement Review recommendations and builds on existing service strengths including the Mental Health Housing First provision. The approach will be backed up by and evaluated through clear outcomes and performance measures.

49.    Housing First has also been approved as a key project proposal for funding bids through the York & North Yorkshire Combined Authority. This could be both for revenue support service funding, potentially on a demonstrator/learning basis, and to meet affordable homes growth objectives[11].

50.    Some individuals will avoid the first step altogether and move straight to their own home and a support package, if needed. It is likely that these individuals will be those with the less complex or less challenging needs.

51.    Another key feature will be that the approach is simple and easy to move through, without unnecessary hurdles or barriers to allow an individual to progress.

52.    Fundamental to this approach will be sorting and tailoring the second step so that, once someone is in their own home, they have a support package which meets their specific needs. The success of the approach would pivot on personalisation. Some individuals at this second step will have low support needs and be of low risk and therefore would be an ideal candidate for floating support. Others will have complex needs, circumstances and/or behaviours that have often been shaped by trauma and whilst they will be in their own home, they will need a strong, trauma-informed and multi-agency support team helping them to settle and progress.

53.    The final step of this journey is the ‘move to normal’. This would be determined by the individual but could involve having a job, having links and relationships into the community and fulfilling goals and ambitions. Job skills, confidence building, community volunteering may all be part of this stage. It is also recognised that experience of homelessness can have a lifetime impact and support services could be reengaged without an extended referral process, if needed following this final step.

54.    The Housing First proposal would be in alignment with and informed by the University of York (UoY) research evidence base presented in their Background Paper, “Effective Strategies to End Rough Sleeping”. This incorporates the extensive UoY research work on Housing First and evidence-based approaches to tackling rough sleeping.

55.    Resourcing and capacity present a challenge to operationalising the strategies presented by UoY research however the lessons are considered in service planning.

 

56.    This has been informed by University of York research, Housing First pilot research[12], National Institute of Clinical Excellence guidance[13], and informal consultation within the council. It may also be considered a “Team around the Tenant” and fits in with emerging thinking around Health integrated community teams approach and the Council’s development of a Locality Model, learning also from Family Hubs Pilot work.

 

Table 3: Housing Support Multidisciplinary Team

 

Multidisciplinary Team element

Responsible partner

Key Worker: For each tenant

City of York Council

Rough Sleeper Navigators

City of York Council

Housing Options Prevention Workers

City of York Council

Clinical Psychologist / Trauma specialist priority access pathway

TEWV / NHS / ICB

Drug & Alcohol / Addiction workers / prescribing nurses or doctors priority access pathway

Public health Team / ICB

Occupational Therapist priority access pathway

ICB

Employability Support and Skills

Led by City of York Council

Offender rehabilitation

Probation

Peer specialist / experts by experience

To be confirmed

Welfare benefits advisors – when not already covered by Navigators

City of York Council

Learning Disabilities or other social worker, offer care needs assessments

City of York Council

Voluntary sector professionals

Other partners

Potential to access to ‘hub’ location offering GP, dentistry and other services

Wider partnership

 

Acronyms

 

TEWV: Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust (TEWV)

ICB: Integrated Care Board

 

Governance

57.    It is proposed that a multi-agency Governance Board will be established in order to help guide the Strategy implementation and monitor its outcomes.

58.    The Governance Board will comprise of members drawn from the following disciplines and partner organisations:

·        Adult Social Care

·        Housing and Communities

·        Housing, Homelessness & Housing Options Service

·        Childrens Social Care

·        Public Health

·        Primary Care

·        Tees, Esk and Wear Valley (TEWV) NHS Mental Health Services Trust

·        Integrated Care Board (ICB)

·        The Probation Service

·        The Police Service

·        York Council for Voluntary Service (CVS)

·        University of York Centre for Housing Policy

·        York and North Yorkshire Housing Partnership Chair

59.    The Terms of Reference for the Governance board are summarised in Annex B.

The Purpose of the Homelessness Strategy Group (HSG) is to oversee the delivery of the local Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy and Action Plan, ensuring it achieves its stated aims and outcomes through the delivery of high quality, appropriate and consistent services which meet the needs of people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness across the local housing authority area. In order to achieve this the HSG will support and monitor the implementation of the Homelessness Strategy Action Plan (HSAP)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Proposed governance structure

60.    In order to track and measure the impact of the Strategy, the following performance monitoring framework is proposed:

System performance measures

a)   Additional Housing First tenancies created across both additional and existing social housing

b)   Resettlement hostels: flow through the system, immediate and long-term outcomes

c)   Housing waiting list: needs data, waiting times

d)   Single Access Point (SAP) applicants / waiting list for services

Statutory and Housing Options measures

e)   Initial assessments of statutory homelessness duties owed

f)     Number of households assessed and owed a prevention or relief duty [government statistical return reference A1]/

g)   Support needs of households assessed as owed a prevention or relief duty [A3]

h)   Reason for eligibility of main applicants assessed as owed a prevention or relief duty [A11]

i)     Reason for households’ prevention duty ending [P1]

j)     Type of accommodation secured for households at end of prevention duty [P2]

k)   Main prevention activity that resulted in accommodation secured for households at end of prevention duty [P3]

Statutory homelessness main duty decisions & outcomes

l)     Outcome of main duty decision for eligible households [MD1]

Households in temporary accommodation

m) Number of households in temporary accommodation at end of quarter by temporary accommodation type [TA1]

n)   Number of households in temporary accommodation at end of quarter by household type [TA2]

o)   Average stay per person in hostel/temporary accommodation by accommodation location.

Rough Sleeping measures

p)   The number of new people sleeping rough (on a single night and over the course of the month). This is known as P1.

q)   The number of people sleeping rough (on a single night and over the course of the month), known as R1.

r)    The number of people sleeping rough over the month who have been sleeping rough long-term, known as B1

s)   The number of people returning to sleeping rough, known as NR1

 

Rounded Rectangle: Person-centred systems respond to needs throughout the pyramidCouncil Plan

 

61.    The Council Plan highlights that in York the average cost of houses are at least 10 times higher than average earnings and rents rose by 10% in 2021-22. The Council Plan demonstrates this administration’s commitment to reducing homelessness by including “number of people sleeping rough” as one if its new key performance indicators. In addition, provision of good quality housing to meet the range of needs across the City’s residents is recognised as central to the Council’s 2023-27 Plan as part of Core Commitments, Affordability and Health and Wellbeing, and to the vision of “One City, for all”.

 

62.    The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (“NICE”) guidelines published last year highlighted that people experiencing homelessness face significant health inequalities: mortality is around ten times higher than the rest of the population and life expectancy is around 30 years less. Barriers to accessing health and social care services are attributed in part to the high numbers of preventable deaths within this population. The Council Plan contains a focus on fairness and health inequalities, with the ambition to reverse the widening trend of health inequalities in our city. It is recognised in the Health and Wellbeing Strategy that housing access and affordability is fundamental in meeting the aims of the Strategy and tackling wider determinants of health.

 

        Implications

63.    Implications are being assessed as part of the Executive decision process.

 

Risk Management

 

64.    In the event that the Strategy ambitious are not achieved, vulnerable residents would face adverse impacts and system pressures could increase cost and other challenges.

65.    There is also a dependency of partner buy-in at a time of significant resource constraint, in order to deliver the multi-agency, wraparound support approach that is essential to achieving sustainable outcomes for clients with more complex needs.

66.    The governance arrangements and associated performance monitored framework will mitigate these risks, with shared expectations set through the Strategy and associated Action Plan.

67.    Other risks that homelessness and rough sleeping response systems are built to provide some resilience against are adverse changes in the housing and labour markets, the cost of living crisis and other economic developments, local emergency events such as flooding or other disasters, and unforeseen major occurrences such as seen in the 2020-21 pandemic and associated emergency measures.

 

 

        Recommendations

68.    Committee Members are asked to consider the proposed Strategy and to provide comments in response to the set of approaches that are outlined, with the 2 response Options set out in paragraphs 16. and 17. above.

 

Contact Details

 

Author:

 

Chief Officer Responsible for the report:

 

Andrew Bebbington

 

Housing Strategy Officer

 

Housing and Communities

 

01904 554351

 

 

Sara Storey

 

Corporate Director – Adult Social Care and Integration 

 

 

 

Report Approved

X

Date

1st October 2024

 

 

Denis Southall

 

Head of Housing Management and Housing Options

 

 

Report Approved

X

Date

1st October 2024

 

 

 

 

Specialist Implications Officer(s) 

 

Not required for this report.

 

 

Wards Affected:  List wards or tick box to indicate all

All

X

 

 

 

For further information please contact the author of the report

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Background papers

 

Future Resettlement Pathway – Building Independence (Item 127), considered by the council Executive on Thursday 9th May.

https://democracy.york.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?MId=14497

 

The Preventing Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Together Strategy 2018-2023, adopted in 2018

https://www.york.gov.uk/HomelessnessStrategy



Annexes

 

Annex A:  A summary of the progress made during the 2018-23 strategy period.

 

Annex B: Summary of Homelessness Strategy Group Terms of Reference

 

Annex C: Equalities Impact Assessment (EIA) – this will be finalised as part of the Executive process. Many of the issues are considered in the EIA for the May 2024 report “Future Resettlement Pathway – Building Independence”

https://democracy.york.gov.uk/documents/s176338/Annex%20C%20-%20EIA%20Resettlement%20Pathway.pdf

 

 

Abbreviations

 

The following abbreviations have been used in the report:

 

EIA - Equalities Impact Assessment

ICB - Integrated Care Board

MHCLG - Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

TEWV - Tees, Esk and Wear Valley NHS Mental Health Services Trust

 

 



[1] https://www.york.gov.uk/downloads/file/8270/ex-cyc-92-local-housing-needs-assessment-by-iceni-july-2022

[2] https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/local-housing-allowance-indicative-rates-for-2024-to-2025/indicative-local-housing-allowance-rates-for-2024-to-2025

[3] https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/sn06988/

[4] https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ending-rough-sleeping-for-good

[5] https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/from-harm-to-hope-a-10-year-drugs-plan-to-cut-crime-and-save-lives

[6] https://www.housing.org.uk/news-and-blogs/news/were-calling-for-a-renewed-commitment-to-the-delivery-of-the-housing-transformation-fund/

[7] https://www.york.gov.uk/downloads/file/8270/ex-cyc-92-local-housing-needs-assessment-by-iceni-july-2022

[8] https://eprints.whiterose.ac.uk/145440/1/The_cost_effectiveness_of_Housing_First_in_England_March_2019.pdf

[9] https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/housing-first-pilot-national-evaluation-reports

[10] https://democracy.york.gov.uk/%28S%28er5fig3cbkjmjx55ekdxrgfc%29%29/ieDecisionDetails.aspx?Id=6771

[11] https://democracy.york.gov.uk/%28S%28lxyn5wjwdhicqyurbbwdie3m%29%29/ieDecisionDetails.aspx?AIId=68303

https://democracy.york.gov.uk/%28S%28lxyn5wjwdhicqyurbbwdie3m%29%29/documents/s177452/Annex%20A%20York%20pipeline%20of%20projects.pdf

[12] https://www.gov.uk/guidance/housing-first-pilots-2-year-extensions-funding-allocations-202223-and-202324

[13] https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng214