HOMELESSNESS LEGISLATION: REVIEW (Hansard, 15 November 1989)

§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of the Environment (Lord Hesketh)

We are publishing the full conclusions of our review of the homelessness legislation today, and copies have been placed in the Library of the House.

Our review has looked at the role and purpose of the homelessness legislation and at its effects. The legislation—now Part HI of the Housing Act 1985—was enacted in 1977 as the Housing (Homeless Persons) Act, an all-party measure. Briefly, it requires local housing authorities to find accommodation for people they judge to be homeless according to the criteria specified in the Act.

We believe that the Act remains important, as a long stop measure to help people in need who have become homeless through no fault of their own. The present terms of the Act strike a reasonable 1398WA balance between the interests of the genuinely homeless and others in housing need. We do not intend, therefore, to change the law, but we have proposals to make it work better.

We have also concluded that local councils remain the right bodies to take the lead responsibility in helping homeless people; and some of them are very good at it. However, it is clear from the Department of the Environment's research and other reports that there is room for improvement. Some councils need to be much faster processing applications, for example; some need to try harder to keep families out of temporary accommodation like bed and breakfast; and in general all councils ought to aim for a better, more consistent service. We propose to amend the code of guidance (to which councils must have regard), and the Department of the Environment will shortly put a draft out for consultation.

The pressures of homelessness vary around the country. Statistics are neither as reliable nor as sensitive as we would like. For example, those figures most quoted—the numbers of homeless acceptances—can be affected as much by local policy as by real needs. But it is apparent that the problems are concentrated in London and South East. We propose to designate those regions as "pressure areas" and to target to them additional resources and help. In particular, we are providing an extra £250 million for those areas over the next two years£148 million next year, and £102 million in 1991–92—to help councils and housing associations to provide more homes for homeless people. This £250 million is on top of the major increase in the Housing Corporation's programme, which will be more than doubled from £815 million this year to £1,736 million in 1992–93. We are reviewing with the Housing Corporation and the National Federation of Housing Associations how this programme can best be distributed to make the maximum impact on housing need, including homelessness.

We must also make the most of the housing we already have; and this means effective management. Councils and housing associations have empty houses they must bring into use and the extra resources will help where necessary. Helping tenants to move, where they want to, is also important, especially if this frees vacancies in the pressure areas. We will provide 100 per cent. funding and support for a new mobility organisation, formed from the three existing bodies, to provide a better, targeted service.

We will continue to encourage the important contribution of the voluntary sector and greatly increased grant aid will be available from next year for homelessness projects. We also want to stop people becoming homeless, as well as helping them when they have got to crisis point. Good practical advice can be vital and we want to set up a comprehensive, national service. Urgent discussions will be held with the National Association of Citizens' Advice Bureaux and other voluntary bodies.

There is concern—which we share—about proper protection, and help for young people who leave home and come to live in our inner cities. This 1399WA affects the responsibilities of a number of departments, which are reviewing at present the way their policies work together. The Government will make further announcements about this soon.

We believe it is essential to make this concentrated attack on the problems of homelessness, but these must not be regarded as separate issues, outside the scope of housing policies in general. We cannot just try to treat symptoms, when causes lie deeper. The real and long-term remedies are to be found in an effective housing strategy, based on the contributions of the private and the public sectors, on the harnessing of the market to deliver opportunities and choice, on the targeting of resources to meet needs and on the efficient management of the stock. That is the strategy of the Government and we shall pursue it vigorously for the benefit of the community and those who are homeless or in need.