Hopefully this new act which came into force at the beginning of April will make a real difference to many homeless people. It provides housing authorities with a legal duty to ensure that people are given meaningful support to try to resolve their homelessness,as well as introducing measures to prevent people becoming homeless in the first place.
Recent government figures show a 64% increase in the number of homeless families in temporary accommodation since 2010. During the last three months of 2017 figures show that 79,000 families stayed in temporary accommodation compared to 48,010 for the same period in 2010, so the new Act with its emphasis on prevention, as well as other new measures just announced by the government, is very welcome.
It aims to improve the advice and information available to people who are homeless or threatened with homelessness. Under the new Act, more people will be entitled to specific support from their local authority, and all will get a level of support regardless of many of the previous barriers.
Procedures will also include the production of an assessment for all eligible people, to try and identify why they became homeless, suitable accommodation for their situation and their support needs to maintain their tenancy. In addition, a personalised housing plan will be completed with them to clearly identify the steps that the person and the housing authority have to take for the person to remain in their current accommodation or to find suitable accommodation.
Recent government figures show a 64% increase in the number of homeless families in temporary accommodation since 2010. During the last three months of 2017 figures show that 79,000 families stayed in temporary accommodation compared to 48,010 for the same period in 2010, so the new Act with its emphasis on prevention, as well as other new measures just announced by the government, is very welcome.
It aims to improve the advice and information available to people who are homeless or threatened with homelessness. Under the new Act, more people will be entitled to specific support from their local authority, and all will get a level of support regardless of many of the previous barriers.
Procedures will also include the production of an assessment for all eligible people, to try and identify why they became homeless, suitable accommodation for their situation and their support needs to maintain their tenancy. In addition, a personalised housing plan will be completed with them to clearly identify the steps that the person and the housing authority have to take for the person to remain in their current accommodation or to find suitable accommodation.
