The Issues

One of the key issues is the apparent reluctance of housing associations to rehouse homeless people. Statistics published by CORE (the continuous recording system) reveal that 30% of all lets made by Local Authorities are to people who were homeless, compared with 23% of lets made by Housing Associations. Further, 26% of all local authority lettings were to people who are not statutorily entitled to rehousing, compared with only 15% of housing association lettings. But this suggests that housing associations may house a higher percentage (8%)of homeless people who are not statutorily entitled to rehousing than local authorities (4%).

Nominations agreements between local authorities and housing associations should ensure that a certain proportion of lettings go to homeless people and other applicants put forward by councils. But homeless people are often excluded from rehousing with housing associations because of problems that arose in their previous accommodation, such as anti-social behaviour and rent arrears. In November 2005, the government and Housing Corporation published guidance on Effective Co-operation in Tackling Homelessness: Nomination Agreements and Exclusions.

Telford Council's 1/3 : 1/3 : 1/3 scheme is a way of ensuring that housing debts do not stop homeless people being rehoused by local housing associations. The idea is to split the debt into three more or less equal shares.

Further Resources

• The Housing Corporation is the regulator of housing associations and other social landlords.

• The Housing Ombudsman Service deals with complaints about housing associations and some other landlords.

• The National Housing Federation is the trade body of the housing association movement.