Crisis flags repeated missed opportunities to prevent homelessness in Scotland

Opportunities to prevent people from becoming homeless in Scotland are “repeatedly being missed”, according to a report by charity Crisis.

Based on in-depth interviews with 15 people facing homelessness, the report found that they had been in contact with an average of five services before becoming homeless.

Almost all of the interviewees had been in touch with local authority housing services in the six months prior to becoming homeless.

The report found that the 15 interviewees had collectively contacted at least 80 services before becoming homeless.

The report ‘A Window of Opportunity’ states that the Scottish government must clarify the responsibilities of both housing and non-housing staff in identifying housing instability and delivering the necessary support.

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It also advises the Scottish government to establish a national communications strategy to educate the public around triggers for housing instability, and how, when and where to seek help locally and nationally.

The report also emphasises that coordination between councils, health services, community organisations and other support networks is essential.

As part of this, Crisis recommends greater collaboration by ensuring different public bodies’ case management systems allow data to be shared quickly between relevant partners where information-sharing consent is given.

There should also be clear cooperation arrangements between services who play direct or indirect roles in securing or sustaining homes.

Another key recommendation is for the government to create resources similar to the Scottish Financial Health Check, allowing individuals to assess their risk of losing their home, identify risk factors, and access details of local and national help available.

The chief executive of Crisis, Matt Downie, said that “the cost of these missed opportunities to prevent homelessness is massive”.

“For individuals, it means suffering and stress that could have been avoided. For local authorities, it means ever growing demand – demand which is pushing councils across Scotland beyond the point where they can cope.

“And for wider public services, it means the knock-on effects of homelessness on the health system, on criminal justice and beyond continue to echo – tying up resources and making the jobs of hard working professionals even harder.”

The new Housing (Scotland) Bill, first introduced to the Scottish Parliament in March this year, includes measures to prevent homelessness, including an ‘ask and act’ duty on social landlords and bodies, such as health boards and the police, to ask about a person’s housing situation and act to avoid them becoming homeless wherever possible.

On the new bill, Downie said that for people to get help before they reach a point of crisis, the new ‘ask and act’ duty must be embedded into practice.

He stated: “Laws are important – but practical and cultural change are just as vital in ensuring that people benefit from earlier and more holistic help to avoid entering a traumatic and increasingly costly homelessness system.”

He said ministers will need to provide more detail on how these plans will operate.

He added: “as changes are embedded, they will require staff operating outside of housing-related roles to take on new responsibilities – and it is vital they understand them.”