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Rehousing and move on
This page provides information and resources on rehousing issues for homeless people. This includes the issue of "move-on" accommodation, which is about finding homeless people somewhere permanent to live, with appropriate support. The concept of move-on also includes ensuring that homeless people as a group are able to access the accommodation that is available. All rehousing and move-on issues need to be seen within the wider context of supply and affordability.
What's New?
- The London Housing Foundation has launched a new website privaterentedsector, dedicated to promoting private sector housing as a positive housing solution for single homeless people.
- See our new page on choice based lettings
- Now available online Issue 2 of the MOPP project e-brief "MOPP Matters" on the private rented sector.
Move-on
As the second tier membership organisation for the homelessness sector, Homeless Link took up move-on as one of its campaign priorities and in 2004 conducted a detailed survey of hostels across England and Wales. In December 2004 the findings from London were summarised in a short report No Room To Move? The full findings from the survey were published on our website in May 2005.
Move-on plans protocol (MOPP) project
The move-on plans protocol project (MOPP) is Homeless Link’s response to the national problem of move-on.
The Private Rented Sector
Telford and Wrekin council run a qualifying offer scheme from their resettlement team, which negotiates two-year tenancies with private landlords. Housing needs manager Kathy Jones says: “They are assured that the tenant is not being left in the property without support and they appreciate having a named contact who will intervene at an early stage if the tenancy starts to break down.
“We now have landlords asking us to take their properties into the scheme. It is recognised nationally that we need to make better use of the private sector and we will be expanding this scheme to offer solutions to families who are intentionally homeless.” Read the full article and case study here.
Access to housing association and local authority homes
As a result of large scale voluntary transfers of council housing stock, housing associations now rival local authorities as providers of social housing.
The Homelessness Code of Guidance (JULY 2006) advises at paragraphs 16.6 and 16.18 that it is inappropriate for local authority and housing association permanent stock to be used as temporary accommodation for applicants other than for short periods. "Except in limited circumstances where social housing is only going to be available for use for a short period, where an authority has placed a household in social housing as a temporary arrangement to fulfil a duty under s.193(2), the Secretary of State recommends that the authority considers offering the household a settled home under the terms of its allocation scheme as soon as possible."
Supply and Affordability
- IN 2006 the ODPM Select Committee published a report on Affordability and the Supply of Housing.
Resources
- See our pages on resettlement.