Statistics of local authority activities under the homelessness legislation; England, third quarter of 1998

Citation

(1999), "Statistics of local authority activities under the homelessness legislation; England, third quarter of 1998", Property Management, Vol. 17 No. 2. https://doi.org/10.1108/pm.1999.11317bab.010

Statistics of local authority activities under the homelessness legislation; England, third quarter of 1998

Statistics of local authority activities under the homelessness legislation: England, third quarter of 1998

This bulletin provides information on the operation of the homelessness provisions of the 1985 and 1996 Housing Acts. The 1996 Act provisions came into force on 20 January 1997 and broadly continued the circumstances in which local authorities owed statutory duties to homeless households but introduced a significant change to the way in which they were required to discharge these duties.

Decisions taken under the homelessness legislation

In the quarter ending September 1998 local authorities made a total of 64,090 decisions on applications for housing from households eligible under the homelessness provisions of the 1985 and 1996 Housing Acts. This is some 5,110 (9 per cent) more than in the second quarter of 1998 (58,980). It is usual for decisions taken to rise between the second and third quarters, but this increase is higher than in 1997.

Homeless acceptances

In the September quarter of 1998, local authorities accepted some 27,500 households as meeting the conditions of eligibility for assistance (i.e. unintentionally homeless and in priority need), under the homelessness provisions of the 1985 and 1996 Housing Acts. This is an increase of some 1,870 (7 per cent) on the previous quarter (25,630), but only around 950 (4 per cent) more than in the corresponding quarter of 1997. The latest figure is some 9,690 (26 per cent) below the peak quarter for households accepted as homeless and in priority need -- the March quarter of 1992 when 37,190 households were accepted.

As with decisions taken, it is usual for the number of acceptances to rise between the second and third quarters. The rise in the third quarter of 1998 is very similar to the corresponding increase in 1997 (7 per cent) but higher than that in 1996 (2 per cent). Acceptances increased in all regions.

Acceptances by category of priority need

Almost three in five of the households (58 per cent) accepted during the September quarter of 1998 had dependent children, and a further 10 per cent included a pregnant woman. There has been little change in these percentages over the past three years.

Reasons for homelessness

In the September 1998 quarter some 26 per cent of acceptances arose because parents, relatives or friends (mostly parents) were no longer able, or willing, to accommodate them. This proportion fell from around 40 to 30 per cent between 1992 and 1995.

A further 24 per cent of acceptances in the September quarter were because of the breakdown of a relationship with a partner, which compares with around 20 per cent five years earlier. Over this same period, the number of households losing accommodation through the ending of an assured shorthold tenancy has increased from 8 per cent to 15 per cent.

At 6 per cent the proportion of acceptances resulting from mortgage arrears was at half its peak level -- 12 per cent during 1991.

Households accommodated

The number of households in accommodation arranged by local authorities under the homelessness provisions of the Housing Act 1985 fell by around a third between September 1992 (when it peaked at 65,500) and December 1994. There was a further slight fall between then and the end of 1996 and an increase subsequently. The total number accommodated under the provisions of this and the 1996 Act at the end of September 1998 (48,890) was some 380 (less than 1 per cent) more than at the end of the previous quarter. Over four-fifths of households accommodated at the end of September 1998 (85 per cent) were accommodated under the provisions of the Housing Act 1996, up from 78 per cent at the end of June.

The total number of households in bed and breakfast accommodation at the end of September was 5,580, of which 5,520 were housed under Housing Act 1996 provisions. The total was up by some 220 (4 per cent) from the position at the end of June. The current total is around two-fifths of the peak level at the end of September 1991 (13,550).

A total of 11 per cent of households (14 per cent in London) accommodated at the end of September were in bed and breakfast. These proportions compare with peaks of 47 per cent (England) and 59 per cent (London) in the quarter ending June 1987.

The number of homeless households in hostel accommodation (including women's refuges) at the end of September was 9,070, of which 8,840 were under Housing Act 1996 provisions. The total is down by some 280 (3 per cent) from the June 1998 quarter.

At the end of September 1998 some 10,570 households which had been accepted as homeless under the two Acts were ''homeless at home'' while awaiting the provision of accommodation (Table V).

Legislation

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  Part VII of the Housing Act 1996, which came into force on 20 January 1997, places statutory duties on local housing authorities to provide assistanoe to people who are homeless or threatened with homelessness. Authorities must consider all applioations from people seeking accommodation or assistance in obtaining accommodation. A main homelessness duty is owed where the authority is satisfied that the applicant is eligible for assistance, unintentionally homeless and falls within a priority need group.

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  The priority need groups include households with dependent children or a pregnant woman and people who are vulnerable in some way e.g. because of mental illness or physical disability. Where a main duty is owed, the authority must either provide sufficient assistance to enable the household to obtain suitable private accommodation in the district (which must be available for two years or, if this is not available, it must secure accommodation for the household for at least two years. In either case, the household is entitled to be placed on the housing register and considered for the allocation of a long-term tenancy. Where households are found to be intentionally homeless or not in a priority need group, the authority should provide advice and assistance to help them find their own accommodation.

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  Part VII of the 1996 Act replaced Part III of the Housing Act 1985, which continued to apply in respect of homelessness applications made before 20 January 1997. A proportion of the homelessness cases for which decisions were made during 1997 are cases to which Part III of the Housing Act 1985 applies. The main homelessness duty under the 1985 Act was widely interpreted by authorities as a duty to secure permanent accommodation. The duties in respect of applicants found to be intentionally homeless or not in priority need are similar to those under the 1996 Act.

Source of statistics

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  The figures in this Bulletin are based on quarterly returns completed by local authorities in England and estimates for non-respondent authorities. The latest quarter's figures are based on returns from 306 out of 354 local authorities (86 per cent response). Non-responders include six of the 14 Inner London boroughs and two of the nine metropolitan districts in the Yorkshire and the Humber region and some caution in interpretation of the figures for London and Yorkshire and the Humber is therefore necessary.

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  This quarter the Department has modified its customary practice and has revised recently published figures, on this occasion for the first and second quarters of 1998. This was done for two reasons. First, in both quarters the number of forms returned by local authorities was initially low and the revised figures take into account subsequent responses and, secondly, we have taken into account figures on use of temporary accommodation collected from London boroughs by the London Research Centre. The rows on the tables with revised figures are marked with the symbol R'.

Further details may be obtained from Brian Turk, DETR, Zone 1/E1, Eland House, Bressenden Place, London SW1E 5DU. Tel: 0171 890 3332.