Dorset Council Homelessness and Rough Sleeper Strategy EqIA

Aims of the strategy

The strategy will cover the following areas  

• describe homelessness and rough sleeping 
• explain Dorset Council’s public law duties in respect of homelessness and rough sleeping 
• provide a single plan to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping in the Dorset Council area for the period 2021 to 2026 
• provide information in the form of description and data evidence in national and local context 
• consider levels of homelessness; preventing homelessness; securing accommodation; providing support and resources 
• provides a framework of accountability and delivery arrangements 
• identify and explain objectives and outcomes 
• include an action plan to deliver the objectives

Background to the proposal

Due to Local Government Reorganisation to form Dorset Council and Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council (BCP) a new Dorset Council Homelessness Strategy is required. 

The Homelessness Act 2002 requires local authorities to take strategic responsibility for tackling and preventing homelessness. 

Prior to the formation of Dorset Council, the relevant district and borough authorities each had homeless strategies all of which are now expired. 

Intelligence and Communication 

Data, information, evidence and research used and how it has influenced the decision-making process

Dorset Council commissioned Neil Morland Housing & Co. Consultants who carried out a review of the current homeless service.

The review included benchmarking homelessness in the Dorset Council area with Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council area; The South of England; All of England and All of England with London. Data sources included (this list is not exhaustive): 

• Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government (MHCL)
• Department for Work and Pensions
• STRIVE evaluation: Final Report
• ICF Consulting
• Fair Chance Fund: Final Report
• Alma Economics 2019 Homelessness: Causes of homelessness and rough sleeping
• Community Performance quarterly release March 2019. Ministry of Justice
• The Conservative and Unionist Party, Manifesto 2019
• Heriot Watt University
• Homeless Link
• London Assembly Housing Committee (September 2017), Hidden Homelessness in London
• Office of National Statistics 2011 Census
• Department for Communities and Local Government (2010)
• Child Poverty Action Group
• Professor Glen Bramley & Professor Suzanne Fitzpatrick – Homelessness in the UK 2017
• Housing Studies Journal
• Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (2005), Sustainable Communities: settled homes, changing lives, London, UK
• National Housing Federation
• Dorset CCG

The review considered these areas:

• levels of homelessness
• activities for preventing homelessness
• activities for securing accommodation
• activities for providing support
• the resources available to deliver the above activities. 

Consultation was carried out by Neil Morland & Housing Co. (see later section) as part of the review.

Elected members, stakeholders, service users and employees are committed to tackling homelessness in Dorset. 

There has been broad agreement that social rented housing is the preferred housing tenure due to security and cost. There was also agreement from the review findings that the number of single people with mental and physical ill-health who are finding themselves homeless is increasing and more support to prevent and relieve homelessness is needed generally. 

Levels of homelessness 

24% of children living in Dorset are living in poverty, at risk of homelessness and the repeat cycle of poverty. This is a reduction of 5% compared to 2018/19 and is lower than the national average and the lowest of the benchmarking group. 

The proportion of working age (16 to 64) unemployed in Dorset is the lowest in the benchmarking group. Those in employment is lower than all England but higher than BCP and South West. Those self-employed is the highest of the benchmarking group. 

An increasing number of single adults with poor mental or physical health becoming homeless as well as those with drug and alcohol problems. 

An average of 30 new initial assessments were carried out each week; 90% of these assessments were owed a homeless duty following the initial assessment; the number of main duties accepted reduced from 448 in 2017/18 to 405 in 2019/20 following the national trend.

95.6% of main applicants are recorded as white British, 4.4% as Black and Minority Ethnic; 22% were recorded as ‘Ethnic Group Not Stated’. 

The aged group for main applicants with the highest number of accepted prevention or relief duties is 25 to 44. 

The number of decisions resulting in an acceptance as being eligible, unintentionally homeless and in priority need has increased by 26% in 2019/20 and is 61% of all decisions of the 5-year period reviewed. 

The number of households with dependant children owed a main duty fell by 24% in 2019/20. 

The number of households with no dependant children owed a main duty with mental health problems has risen at 53 cases in 2019/20. 

The number of households with priority need due to physical disability or ill-health was the third highest at 37 cases in 2019/20. 

The number of households with priority need due to domestic violence or abuse reduced by 50% to 5 households between 2018/19 and 2019/20. 

The top two reasons for loss of last settled home in Dorset is the termination of assured shorthold tenancy and family or friends no longer able to accommodate. 

76% of outcomes for those owed a main duty is the offer and acceptance of a social rented home. 

Dorset has the lowest number of rough sleepers compared to the benchmark group most of whom are single males 

Households with dependant children are most likely to approach at a prevention or relief stage. Single households are most likely to approach when they are already homeless. 

Preventing Homelessness 

There is a good range of commissioned and non-commissioned activities to prevent homelessness. 

The route to housing for offenders released from secure estates needs clarification. 

There is a strong provision for Armed Forces and former Armed Forces personnel who become homeless.

The top 3 types of household in Dorset recorded as being owed a prevention duty are single parent families with dependant children; single adult males; and single adult females.

The top 3 types of household in Dorset recorded as being a relief duty are single adult males; single adult females; and single parent families.

The top 3 age ranges of those main applicants owed either a prevention or relief duty is 25-34 years; 18-24 years; and 35-44 years. 

The top 2 reasons recorded for households owed a prevention duty is the end of private rented tenancy – assured shorthold followed by family or friends no longer able to accommodate. 

The top 2 reasons recorded for households owed a relief duty is family or friends no longer able to accommodate followed by non-violent relationship breakdown with partner. 

Most households owed a prevention duty were living with family or friends at the time of their application. 

Most households owed a relief duty were of no fixed abode at the time of their application. 

Dorset is the lowest of the benchmark group in terms of successful relief activity per thousand. 

The most common reason for the ending of prevention duty (35%) is new accommodation secured for at least 6 months. 

The most common reason for the ending of relief duty (138 households) is that 56 days elapsed. 

31% of referrals were under the new Duty to Refer mostly from non-public authorities e.g. Citizens Advice and Social Landlords. 

The most commonly recorded main prevention activity for 2019/20 was negotiation and mediation/advocacy work to prevent eviction. 

The number of intentionally homeless households is low compared to the number where the main homelessness duty has been accepted. 

Further investigation is required to mitigate rough sleepers migrating between Dorset Council and Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council areas (BCP).

Activities for securing accommodation

Dorset Council has access to a portfolio of 224 units of temporary accommodation (as at February 2021) including accommodation adapted for people with physical disability. 

Additionally, bed and breakfast accommodation is used to provide temporary accommodation. 

The number of households per thousand placed into temporary accommodation by Dorset Council is lower than all the benchmarking group except South West. 

The number of households with children in temporary accommodation is higher in Dorset than BCP and South West but lower than England and All England. 

These are they types of temporary accommodation used by Dorset in order of high to low 2019/20 is: 

• bed and breakfast hotels (including shared annexes)
• private sector leased by authority or social landlord
• local authority or social landlord stock
• any other type of temporary accommodation (including private landlord and not known)
• hostels (including reception centres, emergency units and refuges)
• nightly paid, privately managed accommodation, self-contained

As at 31 March 2020 43% of Dorset homeless households were in temporary accommodation outside the Dorset Council area.

74% of households ended their main homeless duty due to an offer of social rented accommodation. 

These are the successful activities to secure accommodation in the order of high to low: 

• activities of Dorset Council Housing Solutions Team
• financial support from Dorset Council
• information and advice 
• Private rented sector accommodation is nationally the second most common method to relieve homelessness

These are the financial assistance figures to help prevent or relieve homelessness in 2018/19(latest data available):

• £41,855 – rent bond
• £87,950 – rent deposit
• £126,368 – rent in advance 

Dorset has 182,677 homes and 12.3% are socially rented.

In 2019 there were 5223 households registered with Dorset Council for an allocation of social rented housing. 

The number of new lettings of social housing has declined from 1636 in 2016/17 to 1469 in 2018/19. 

3.15% of the 2019/20 housing register stated in their application they are at risk of homelessness, are homeless or have been identified as such during their assessment. 

1 bedroom properties are the most common size property required, then 2 bedrooms then 3 or more bedrooms. 

Activities for providing support

Almost half the households owed a homelessness duty in 2019/20 have at least one support need.

Over (644)70% of the households owed a homeless duty with support needs had more than one support need in 2019/20.

Although there has been a reduction in Dorset from 2018/19 to 2019/20 the total number of households with support needs per one thousand is higher than BCP. 

The most common support need is due to mental health followed by physical health and disability and the third most common support need is due to domestic abuse. 

Resources available to deliver the above activities 

Dorset had an award of £225,777 from Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) Homelessness Reduction Act Grant 2020-21 to help fund new burdens from the introduction of the Homelessness Reduction Act. 

Dorset had an award of £442,352 Flexible Homelessness Support Grant 2020-21 to spend on preventing homelessness and assisting those who are homeless. 

Dorset had an award of £472,470 Rough Sleeper Initiative 2020-21 funding to support or create street outreach services, secure hostel and shelter type accommodation and deliver specialist support to rough sleepers to help them remain off the streets.

Dorset had an award of £624,000 Next Steps Accommodation Programme Revenue funding 2020-21. This is for interim accommodation and support for those rough sleepers accommodated during the pandemic. 

Dorset had an award of £1,556,730 Next Steps Accommodation Programme Capital Funding 2020-21. This is to bring forward long term move-on accommodation. 

Dorset works with several commissioned and non-commissioned providers to deliver a range of activities and support. 

70% of respondents to the public consultation either agreed or partially agreed with the strategy proposals. 

Engagement or consultation that has taken place as part of this EqIA 

As part of the external review of the homeless service Neil Morland and Housing Co. carried out stakeholder interviews with internal services including these organisations: 

• Dorset Council’s Housing Service
• Adult Social Care Service
• Children’s Services 

Stakeholder interviews were offered to all our partner organisations. Eight external partner organisations took part including these organisations:

• social landlords
• public Authorities such as Armed Forces, Prisons, Police and NHS
• voluntary organisations such as not for profit groups, community and faith groups for example those providing outreach and support and homelessness advice 

These organisations were offered stakeholder interviews and to our service users and 30 took part including: 

• 4 statutory homeless households– owed a duty by a local authority
• 0 single homeless households – living in supported accommodation
• 2 street homeless households – sleeping rough
• 2 hidden homeless households – sofa surfing with family or friends
• 6 households living in current home but at risk of losing it
• 13 households now living in settled accommodation but previously homeless in one of the above situations
• 3 other households who did not meet the above definition

In the above description ‘Household’ can mean an individual or more than one individual.

A public consultation started on 22 March 2021 and ended on 7 May 2021.  Any individual or organisation could responses and 106 responses were received. The response from residents was reasonably representative of the Dorset population. 

There was an uneven balance between males and females with 57% from females and 37% from males. Responses came from a wide range of ages but 48% came from respondents aged 65 or older. This compares to only 29% of the population being in this age band in the wider Dorset population. With 88% of the respondents saying their ethnic group was White British this is fairly typical of the wider population. Responses from disabled people were above average at 6.5% of responses compared to a Dorset figure of 5% based on those claiming either Disability Living Allowance, Personal Independence Payments or Attendance Allowance. 

There were 17 organisational responses with 11 of them providing an official organisational response. 

The responses indicate overall good support for the strategy with confirmation that health, wellbeing, money and employment factors ranking as influential factors people are concerned about. Other respondents highlight the lack of accommodation and financial resources to tackle this matter as concerning. One respondent mentioned support for Lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, transgender, Queer, intersex plus (LGBTQI+) households was not specifically mentioned in the draft. A new action has been added to review the support and challenges faced by households with protected characteristics. 

Dorset Council communications team used social media, Dorset Council website, focussed emails, e-newsletters and general media sources to promote the public consultation. We promoted the consultation with organisations working locally with people from minority ethnic backgrounds.

During the development of the strategy and action plan two workshops were held with members of the Dorset Council People and Health Overview Committee, plus additional Dorset Council councillors including People and Health Scrutiny members, the Portfolio Holders for Adult Services and the Portfolio Holder for Children’s Services, Neil Morland & Co. Housing Consultants and Dorset Council Housing Service. 

During the workshops, details about the structure of the review were discussed. Results of the review were received and discussed. Options were discussed and agreed to identify the strategy objectives and future actions. 

Feedback 

On the Dorset Council website and where appropriate as part of future working groups to deliver the agreed objectives. 

Assessment

Impacts of the strategy

Key to impacts 

Positive Impact 

the proposal eliminates discrimination, advances equality of opportunity and/or fosters good relations with protected groups.

Negative Impact

Protected characteristic group(s) could be disadvantaged or discriminated against.

Neutral Impact 

No change/ no assessed significant impact of protected characteristic groups.

Unclear

Not enough data/evidence has been collected to make an informed decision.

Action Plan 

Who has agreed this EqIA?

Officer completing this EqIA: Sharon Attwater

Date: 21 May 2021

Equality Lead:  Susan Ward-Rice

Date:    27 May 2021

Equality & Diversity Action Group Chair:    Rick Perry

Date:    27 May 2021