§ Mrs. MayTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what methodology was used by Rough Sleepers' Unit and its predecessor to count the number of people sleeping rough on any single night since 1997; and if he will make a statement regarding the reasons for changes in the methodology used. [20532]
§ Mr. ByersThe methodology used by the Rough Sleepers Unit to count the number of people sleeping rough on any single night was developed in the early 1990s by the Department, in partnership with the voluntary sector. The methodology used for producing a national estimate was set out in an answer given by my right hon. Friend the then Minister for Local Government and the Regions on 19 May 1999,Official Report, columns 355–62W and has been tested and developed through independent research and remains unchanged. The same methodology has been used nationally for over five years, and since the early 1990s in London.
Counts are conducted by voluntary sector homelessness agencies, working with local authorities and independent volunteers. The results are finalised and submitted by these agencies to the Rough Sleepers Unit. The methodology for counts is adhered to strictly and consistently.
§ Mrs. MayTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many people obtained permanent housing after being housed in(a) bed and breakfast accommodation and (b) hostels by the Rough Sleepers' Unit for (i) less than one week, (ii) between one week and one month and (iii) over one month, in each quarter since the unit was established. [20528]
§ Mr. ByersUnder the Government's strategy on rough sleeping, the Rough Sleepers Unit funds a number of agencies to provide permanent and temporary accommodation for rough sleepers and to refer people sleeping rough, or with a history of rough sleeping, into that accommodation and other services.
Information is not available in the format requested. Information from the Clearing House which manages referrals to permanent accommodation in London provided with Government funding shows that:
During the last financial year (1 April 2000 to 31 March 2001), 669 former rough sleepers were housed in permanent homes.
A total of 898 former rough sleepers were referred to the Clearing House for permanent accommodation during 2000–01, of whom:
- 74 per cent. were referred from hostels
- 10 per cent. from the street
- 5 per cent. from staying with friends
- 2 per cent. from a housing association tenancy
- 1 per cent. from Bed and Breakfast accommodation
- 1 per cent. from a cold weather shelter
- 1 per cent. from a rolling shelter
- 1 per cent. where the referral location was in an "other" category.
- 5 per cent. where the referral location was not stated.
These referrals have played a vital part in helping the Rough Sleepers Unit to achieve its target of reducing rough sleeping in England by two-thirds.
294W
§ Mrs. MayTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many people were housed in(a) bed and breakfast accommodation and (b) hostels by the Rough Sleepers' Unit for (i) less than one week, (ii) between one week and one month and (iii) over one month in each quarter since the unit was established. [20529]
§ Mr. ByersUnder the Government's current strategy on rough sleeping, the Rough Sleepers Unit provides funding for a number of agencies who provide permanent and temporary accommodation. The Unit also funds a number of agencies to provide outreach workers and Contact and Assessment Teams who help rough sleepers into accommodation and other services. Staff from the Unit do not routinely refer rough sleepers into accommodation. However, they do from time to time liaise with agencies to ensure that any vulnerable rough sleepers they encounter during street work are helped into appropriate accommodation and support.
Information on referrals into accommodation is not available in the format requested. Monitoring information from the database of Contact and Assessment Team's clients in London is given.
Over the twelve months between 1 April 2000 and 31 March 2001, 1,679 rough sleepers were helped into accommodation. Some were helped into accommodation more than once. The total number of referrals from the streets for those 1,679 individuals was 2,485. These referrals were to the following types of accommodation:
Action Number who entered accommodation Booked into permanent accommodation 151 Booked into a hostel 1,211 Booked into a rolling shelter 719 Booked into other temporary accommodation 63 Accessed specialist treatment programme 252 Admission to a night centre 86 Booked into Bed and Breakfast accommodation 3 Total 2485 Of the 1,679 individuals who were referred into these forms of accommodation during the period, 1,262 (75 per cent.) were still in accommodation at the end of the year.
These referrals have played a vital part in helping the Rough Sleepers Unit to achieve its target of reducing rough sleeping in England by two-thirds.