Better than Cure? Testing the case for Enhancing Prevention of Single Homelessness in England (original) (raw)
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A Review of Single Homelessness in the UK
The aim of the review was to provide an overview of single homelessness in the UK in the last decade including changes and continuities in single homelessness; policy changes and developments in responses to single homelessness. The last decade has seen a number of important developments in homelessness policy in the UK, not least the divergence in homelessness policy in the four nations of the UK following devolution in 1998. These developments have included important changes to the homeless legislation in all parts of the UK; an increased emphasis on homelessness prevention; new strategies to tackle rough sleeping; the Supporting People programme; developments in health provision; and, an increasing emphasis on supporting single homeless people into employment. The focus of the review is the decade 2000-2010 which was, for the most part, a time of relatively plentiful resources and positive developments in single homelessness. The context in which the review is published is a very different one. Major public sector spending cuts and radical welfare reforms have been announced and there are to be major changes to the way local government operates. The review involved a comprehensive literature review and in-depth and focus groups interviews with key stakeholders from across the UK, including policy makers, service providers, homelessness specialists and single homeless people.
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There has been marked innovation and policy mobility1 on homelessness prevention since devolution. Using a five-category prevention typology (Universal, Targeted, Crisis, Emergency, Recovery) reveals how early developments in Scotland focused on Emergency Prevention - ensuring that all homeless people have an enforceable right to temporary accommodation. However, most effort has recently been expended on Crisis Prevention, whereby people at risk of homelessness within 56 days are assisted to remain or secure alternative accommodation. Legislative developments in Crisis Prevention in Wales and England have proved effective, albeit there is sometimes a gap between intentions of the law and current practice. Progress on Targeted Prevention with high-risk groups, such as those leaving prison, has been slower to develop across the UK. General homelessness risks have increased as a result of welfare reform and housing market pressures, undermining Universal Prevention. Single people sleep...
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Journal of Community & Applied …, 2003
This article examines the history of British homelessness research and its politicization over the past 40 years. The relationship between homelessness research and policy has been developing since the 1960s, and by the 1990s the majority of research was undertaken within the policy arena. In part, this has arisen because of the way in which research has been funded in the UK, with funding being dominated by government or those seeking to criticize its policies. To varying degrees, this is also attributable to the acceptance of a homelessness paradigm, which was ultimately no more than an ideological construct, the ‘definitions’ of homelessness within British legislation. Fuelled by the growth of homelessness and an increase in charitable activity, the volume of research grew during the 1980s and 1990s, but without concurrent methodological and theoretical development. Recent academic critiques of British homelessness research are reviewed, including the movement towards re-conceptualizating homelessness.
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European Journal of …, 2010
> > Abstract_ This paper examines the financial circumstances of 400 single homeless people in England after they were resettled into independent accommodation. Particular attention is given to changes in their income and debts over the first six months and to the expenditure associated with setting up a new home. After six months, nearly nine-tenths had retained their tenancy and only sixteen were known to have become homeless again. Most were on low incomes, started with no furniture or domestic equipment, incurred the costs of setting up a new home and also had to adjust to being responsible for paying the utilities and ensuring that the rent was paid. Many coped well with their new financial responsibilities, developed a routine for paying utility bills and learned how to survive on a low income. Many experienced an income gain during the first six months, especially those who had newly obtained employment. The prevalence of debts also increased, particularly among those in private-rented tenancies, although the median debt decreased.
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