A think-tank report examined the position of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people in relation to social housing, the housing system more generally, and the provision of equitable and fair access to housing resources. The report also considered how austerity and welfare reform in the United Kingdom had affected LGBT communities in recent years. The report said that, although equalities legislation had been introduced, equality under the law did not automatically protect against discriminatory practices, and there was still work to be done. It said that there had been some major advancements of LGBT rights in social housing, although some housing providers were not undertaking any monitoring of LGBT employees, tenants, or applicants, and over half of LGBT respondents reported that housing providers or advisors had not understood their housing needs. It concluded that the role of social landlords in offering more equitable access to housing and services was vital, since LGBT people had been disproportionately affected by austerity and welfare reform, and many had unmet housing need.
Source: Kevin Gulliver and Dawn Prentice, Rainbow Rising? LGBT communities, social housing, equality and austerity, Human City Institute
Links: Report | Inside Housing report
Date: 2014-May
The housing watchdog in Scotland said that the implementation of Housing Options (an approach to preventing homelessness through the provision of information and advice) by local authorities had been shaped by limited guidance and, until recently, without a comprehensive monitoring framework. It said that national guidance was now required, and made a range of recommendations for the Scottish Government and local authorities to address issues related to early intervention and needs assessment, the use of targets, waiting times, the assessment of homelessness status, the process of Housing Options interviews, and auditing the service.
Source: Housing Options in Scotland: A thematic inquiry, Scottish Housing Regulator
Links: Report | SHR press release
Date: 2014-May
A report by a committee of MPs said that the transition to new regional, private sector contracts for the provision of housing for destitute asylum-seekers had 'not gone well'. The report said that the first year of operation had seen delays, additional costs incurred, poor quality housing provision, poor management by the government department, and ineffective partnership working between the department and the contractors.
Source: COMPASS: Provision of asylum accommodation, Fifty-fourth Report (Session 2013–14), HC 1000, House of Commons Public Accounts Select Committee, TSO
Links: Report | Committee press release | BBC report | Inside Housing report | Telegraph report
Date: 2014-Apr
An article examined how the nature and quality of housing affected adults receiving support for mental health problems in England, based on a systematic review of literature. It said there were three main determinants of impact on quality of life: autonomy; domain; and facilitation. The article then outlined secondary themes of influence and proposed a 'Tripod Model' to illustrate the interrelationships.
Source: Jon Burgoyne, 'Mental health and the settings of housing support – a systematic review and conceptual model', Housing Care and Support, Volume 17 Number 1
Links: Abstract
Date: 2014-Mar
An article examined the occurrence and determinants of young people returning to live at the parental home. It said that the decision to return coincided with turning points in an individual's life course, such as leaving full-time education, unemployment, or partnership dissolution.
Source: Juliet Stone, Ann Berrington, and Jane Falkingham, 'Gender, turning points, and boomerangs: returning home in young adulthood in Great Britain', Demography, Volume 51 Number 1
Links: Abstract | University of Southampton press release
Date: 2014-Feb
An audit report said that contracts awarded for the provision of accommodation for asylum seekers had performed less well than anticipated in some cases, with two providers failing to meet some key performance targets, including the target relating to standards of accommodation and the timescales for housing asylum seekers. It said that two of the providers had experienced negotiation difficulties with existing housing providers. Commercial negotiations regarding contracts and rebates for poor performance were ongoing at the time of the report.
Source: COMPASS Contracts for the Provision of Accommodation for Asylum Seekers, National Audit Office
Links: Report | Summary | NAO press release | British Red Cross press release | Refugee Council press release | Inside Housing report
Date: 2014-Jan
