Scottish Government overview

Marion Gibbs

Background

• Scotland has strong homelessness legislation

• Homelessness etc (S) Act 2003

• 2012 homelessness “target”– By December 2012 all unintentionally

homeless households entitled to settled accommodation

– Basically changing legislation to remove the distinction between “priority” and “non-priority”

2009

• Interim target set for 2009

• Following this – how to get to 2012?

• Set up the SG/COSLA Joint 2012 Steering Group

• SG, COSLA, SOLACE, ALACHO and SFHA

2012 Group

• Corporate buy-in

• Prevention of homelessness

• Access to RSL stock and the PRS

• Investing in appropriate areas

Prevention

• Guidance issued in 2009

• Looking at the needs of particular groups

• Development of housing options approaches

• England further advanced but Scotland beginning to look at this

Housing Options

• Not process driven (completing homelessness application and it being assessed and decision made)

• To outcome focused (what is the most sustainable and appropriate outcome for household)

• Homelessness legislation a crucial safety net

Housing Options hubs

• Five LA-led Housing Options hubs across Scotland – geographically split

• All 32 LAs are included

• Established in 2010 with some SG funding

Hub activity

• Frequent meetings

• Sharing practice

• Jointly commissioning joint training

• Research - PRS

• IT solutions

• Benchmarking

Wider sharing

• Quarterly hub “leads” seminars – opportunity to share progress, highlight particular pieces of work, get presentations from other agencies

• National seminar – around 100 attendees

• SG goes to majority of hub meetings

Health

• Health and Homelessness Standards since 2005

• Recent renewed activity

• NHS Health Scotland – roundtable

• Health and Social Care Integration – opportunities

Contact details

• Marion Gibbs – marion.gibbs@scotland.gsi.gov.uk

• 0141 271 3748

• http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Built-Environment/Housing/homeless