Agenda item

The Policy Development & Scrutiny Panel asked for a report on the health of homeless people in B&NES, particularly the health of people sleeping rough.

The report included in this paper summarises key points for the Panel.

Councillor Alison Born, Cabinet Member for Adult Services introduced the report to the Panel. She said that homeless people experience a number of health inequalities, including both mental and physical health. She added that they are six times as likely to attend A&E and that 66% nationally will have drug and alcohol problems.

She stated that the annual rough sleeper count underestimates the scale of this problem as it does not take into account those who are staying within insecure accommodation.

She said that the cost of living crisis alongside the lack of affordable housing was putting more families at risk of becoming homeless. She added that the numbers within B&NES had increased by 40% over the past year.

She explained that healthcare provision for homeless people is provided through the Council’s Homeless Services and that currently they had additional access to forms of help for substance misuse.

The Associate Director for Public Health said that a number of departments and agencies were involved in providing services / assistance to the homeless people within B&NES.

Councillor Michelle O’Doherty said that the number of people at risk of being homeless, including children was very worrying and asked what the reasons for the increase are. She also asked what statutory duties of support were in place for rough sleepers and how does that support continue once someone has been provided with some form of housing.

The Housing Strategy & Commissioning Manager replied that the health needs of families in these types of situations are not as understood. She felt that a large degree of the increase was due to the cost of living crisis and no fault evictions from privately rented accommodation, this includes families with children.

She added that staff within the service were working under quite a sustained level of pressure.

Councillor O’Doherty asked if there was enough resources / staff in place to cope with the increased numbers.

The Housing Strategy & Commissioning Manager replied that staff were managing, but very much feeling the challenge. She added that when people become housed there is support in place through a number of services, including the DHI Reach programme. She said that the programme provides budget support and trying to make sure things in general stay on an even keel.

She added that Second Step also provide a floating mental health support as well as ongoing work with Julian House. She said that the Housing First scheme also provides accommodation for 24 households currently for those with a high degree of needs.

Kevin Burnett asked when does the Council become involved with individuals deemed to be ‘at risk of becoming of homeless’.

The Housing Strategy & Commissioning Manager replied that in 2018 the Homeless Reduction Act came into force and that this gives the Council a duty to start working with people 54 days before any legal threat of homelessness is received. She said that the Council were willing to help as many people as possible and wanted them to not wait until the last minute to seek help.

She added that she would discuss this issue further with the Housing Options & Homelessness Manager.

Councillor Joanna Wright said that from the discussions that she has had with residents that they feel that there is not enough support from the Local Authority.

The Housing Strategy & Commissioning Manager replied that the intention is clear to help all that approach us, but it will depend on the direct circumstances.

Councillor Wright asked in what way could the Panel help further.

The Housing Strategy & Commissioning Manager replied that work to attempt to influence the levels of rent were not taking place within B&NES and that this was another matter she would convey to the Housing Options & Homelessness Manager.

The Chair referred to section 3.5 of the report and asked about the levels of people with mental health needs prior to and having become homeless.

The Housing Strategy & Commissioning Manager replied that access to mental health care was not easy and that they were seeking to fill an outreach post through AWP (Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership).

Councillor Michelle O’Doherty commented that having had personal experience of receiving two Section 21 notices in the past twelve months it does start to affect your mental health and that she remains worried about what might happen in the future. She added that in 2019 following action from her the Council wrote to the Government to end Section 21 evictions and she was extremely frustrated that no action has been taken on them.

The Housing Strategy & Commissioning Manager replied that they share the frustrations and do discuss the issue on a regular basis in the hope that progress will be made soon.

Councillor Liz Hardman asked if more focus was given to those individuals who were suffering from drug or alcohol misuse.

The Associate Director for Public Health replied that he did not believe so and that only a smaller cohort of rough sleepers do have poor mental health, drug or alcohol issues.

The Panel RESOLVED to note the information in the report provided.