By Michael LLoyd
MELESSNESS, like fallingill, can’t always be prevented. The biggest single cause is relationship breakdown, with often unpredictable consequences. The question is, how should we help when people lose their homes?
In Scotland assistance is easier to find than in most other countries – even within the UK. You only have to prove a connection to where you live and that you didn’t cause your own homelessness. You don’t need to be a “priority” case as in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Headlines reading “20,000 Scottish children homeless at Christmas” do not mean they are out begging on the streets. These figures represent children in families being helped out of homelessness by their local council.
They are put first in temporary accommodation, whilst the long-term housing they are entitled to is found. The problem is that some of that accommodation is acknowledged by everyone, including the Scottish Government, to be of sub-standard quality.
There just isn’t enough suitable housing. Until recently Scotland’s stock of social and affordable housing had been falling, thanks to decades of housing policy which prioritised home-ownership over social housing.
All-party consensus on the need for social housing shifted in the 1970s. Rather than assisting slum clearance, it was claimed social housing was creating welfare dependency. A nation of owner-occupiers was required.
The Right to Buy was introduced – unfortunately during an era of social change. More relationships were breaking down and, because some regions prospered whilst others declined, social houses were often in the wrong places.
Meanwhile, house prices rose above inflation. With the relative insecurity of private lets, more people struggled to get and keep housing. The insecure employment of the gig economy and benefits changes raised a perfect storm of housing affordability and supply. In response, the Scottish Government restricted, then abolished the Right to Buy (although in England it has been extended).
Scotland is spending £3.5 billion building social and affordable housing. It is the biggest programme in a generation and on track to produce 50,000 houses by next year. This effort won praise from charities like Crisis and Shelter. But they insist it does not go far enough. They claim lack of temporary accommodation is bringing the system to breaking point.
In part, ironically, this is an unintended consequence of the well-intentioned abolition of the priority need test. More people are now being helped. But where to put them?
Then there are the vulnerable, sometimes taking tenancies too young and losing them through immature behaviour. Legally, they have been given all the support they are entitled to. Thankfully there is now recognition that this “one strike and you are out” approach fuels rough sleeping. Housing First trials, putting the most needy into their own house with support are showing signs of success.
There is much more to be done. Crisis’s figures show homelessness is rising throughout the UK and housing shortages and welfare polices are blamed.
Scotland has not seen the 42 per cent increase that England has experienced since 2009. Scottish homelessness fell between 2009 and 2017. But pressure groups like Shelter are warning that, with a small rise this year, there is still no room for complacency. The new social and affordable house building programme must be stepped up – and extended, well beyond 2021.
Michael Lloyd works on housing options policy
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