Significant progress is being made in the drive to prevent and tackle homelessness across Scotland, according to a new monitoring report. The Homelessness Monitoring Group's (HMG) second progress report highlights achievements in implementing the aims of the 2003 Homelessness Act and the recommendations of the Homelessness Task Force.
The Report identifies key progress to date, including:
Research which will guide major change to the rules on priority need and local connection was also published. This will inform implementation of key parts of the 2003 Act.
At present, in order to determine what a household is entitled to, local authorities apply four tests, being:
The Act requires the removal of the priority/non-priority distinction by 2012, ensuring that all unintentionally homeless households will be provided with permanent accommodation. The Act also enables local connection provisions to be modified.
Legislation will be brought forward next year to implement the Homelessness Task Force's recommendation that people should have freedom of choice as to where they make a homelessness application, suspending the local connection rule as recommended by the research and the HMG. This will be preceded by consultation on the criteria for suspending and reactivating the power.
The priority need research will assist local councils in their assessment of current and anticipated levels of homelessness applications, lettings, housing, and support needs. It will feed into a detailed Ministerial Statement to be made at the end of the year, setting out the way forward on meeting the 2012 target.
As the work of the Homelessness Monitoring Group continues, new sub-groups have been established to look into specific issues including:
Centrepoint published a new report, Too Much, Too Young, which identifies debt as a significant problem for the young homeless.
The report reveals that nearly 25% of homeless people living in hostel accommodation have received direct marketing material for credit cards. It argues that credit and store cards are too readily available to people who often cannot access better credit options. The report calls on the Government and the Financial Services Authority to further regulate credit companies marketing to young vulnerable people.
Former homeless person and past drug addict, Jamie McCoy, launched his own platform for homeless people to make their views known. Mr McCoy's Big Voice web blog gave a commentary on the General Election campaign, challenging candidates to participate, and giving homeless people the chance to express their opinions.
Explaining his motivations, Mr McCoy said:
"I am angry that homeless people have the right to register to vote, but their views are not being heard and homelessness does not look like being a major issue in this election."
Mr McCoy was supported in his effort by the homelessness charity Crisis and the educational charity Hansard Society.
Visit Mr McCoy's web blog at www.jamiesbigvoice.com.