- Research by the University of Sheffield and Chartered Institute of Housing shows councils and housing associations think their work together to tackle homelessness is undermined by welfare policy
- Of 106 local authorities who responded to survey, 84 per cent said welfare policy has negatively impacted on partnership working to tackle homelessness while 70 per cent of housing associations that took part agreed
- Nearly half of housing associations surveyed say people’s inability to afford rent due to welfare policy is a main reason for refusing a nomination
- The vast majority of councils and housing associations believe government welfare policy is hitting their efforts to tackle homelessness, according to new research
The research by the Chartered Institute of Housing and the University of Sheffield reveals 84 per cent of the 106 councils and 70 per cent of the 50 housing associations (which run 39 per cent of the total housing association stock in England) surveyed think welfare policies like the lower benefit cap are impacting negatively on their work together to tackle homelessness.
Nearly half of the housing associations surveyed during the research, conducted as part of the Crook Public Service Fellowship at the University of Sheffield, said households being unable to pay their rent due to limited welfare assistance was one of the main reasons they had to refuse a nomination.
Professor David Robinson, Director of Research in the Department of Geography at the University of Sheffield, who worked on the project, said: “The introduction of the Homeless Reduction Act has been widely welcomed. The act gives councils important new responsibilities and powers. However, councils cannot tackle homelessness on their own – they need help.
“Evidence that the vital role that housing associations traditionally play helping councils to reduce homelessness is being undermined is therefore deeply concerning. These findings underline why we urgently need a coordinated effort to tackle homelessness.”
Terrie Alafat, the chief executive of the Chartered Institute of Housing, added: “This research shows that welfare policy is seriously undermining the work that councils and housing associations can do to reduce homelessness.
“The government has stated its commitment to tackle homelessness and the Homelessness Reduction Act, which comes into effect next year, represents significant progress. But it is also clear that welfare policy is directly undermining that effort.”
She said: “Policies like the lower benefit cap are leaving people with significant gaps between the help they get with housing costs and their rent and this research highlights the direct impact that is having on the work councils and housing associations are trying to do together to help those most in need.
“We know from experience that tackling homelessness is possible but it requires a commitment from all government departments. If the government is serious about tackling our homelessness crisis it must urgently consider how it can create a policy framework which supports, and not undermines, what councils and housing associations can achieve together to tackle this huge problem.”
The Chartered Institute of Housing and the University of Sheffield worked together on the research project which circulated a survey to all 353 local authorities and 449 housing associations across the UK to explore the challenges they face working together to tackle homelessness.
A total of 106 councils and 50 housing associations – which run 39 per cent of the total housing association stock in England, responded to the survey in which 71 per cent of housing associations and 72 per cent of local authorities also said changes to funding levels were undermining the contribution they could make to tackling homelessness.
When asked the most common reasons for housing associations rejecting nominations of homeless households, 49 per cent of housing associations and 61 per cent of local authorities said limited entitlement to welfare assistance, meaning someone would be unable to afford their home, was the most common reason.
The project is supported by the Crook Public Service Fellowships at the University of Sheffield and the Economic and Social Research Council Impact Accelerator fund (ESRC IAA).
