Updated 17.09.15
What's next on the journey to ending homelessness?
Ahead of its allocations, lettings and homelessness event, the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) caught up with Helen Mathie, Head of Policy and Research at Homeless Link. Helen shared her views on the challenges and solutions regarding homelessness for the new UK government.
A key question addressed in the article, which is posted on the CIH website, is - 'What do you think are the top three challenges regarding homelessness at the moment?'
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Refugee crisis: housing associations will step up, just as they always have
David Orr, Chief Executive of the National Housing Federation (NHF), uses his latest blog to address the need to find homes for a large number of refugees from Syria and elsewhere.
On the question of whether housing associations will be there when needed, he concludes 'yes - because they always have been'.
David Orr's blog appears on the NHF website.
Posted 10.09.15
New Approach Assesses True Scale of Rough Sleeping
Housing Minister Grant Shapps has overhauled the way local areas assess the number of people sleeping rough, with the aims of more accurately assessing the scale of the problem and placing councils and homeless charities centre stage in the process.
Previously, only councils in presumed hotspot areas were required to conduct official rough sleeper counts. Consequently, only 70 councils submitted information to central Government. Figures published in July showed that under this previous method, on any given night there were just 440 rough sleepers in England.
However, for the first time areas which did not physically count were asked to provide estimates this spring and when the figures from these 256 councils were included a further estimated 807 rough sleepers were found - taking the national total to 1,247 rough sleepers on any given night.
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Measures to Support Victims of Domestic Violence Can Prevent Homelessness
New research and statistics show that whilst domestic violence is one of the major reasons families become homeless, protection measures such as safe rooms are very effective in helping these families to safely stay in their homes.
Under what are known as Sanctuary Schemes, victims of domestic violence have special security measures installed to keep families safe in their own homes in case the aggressor tries to return. Depending on the specific needs of the family at risk, this might mean creating a safe room in the house which is secured using a reinforced door which opens outwards so an intruder cannot kick-it in.
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