Housing, homelessness and rough sleeping strategy

The number of households in England assessed as homeless and owed settled accommodation from their local authority are at the highest levels recorded at least 2019.

Similarly, the number of households in temporary accommodation are at a record high with around 117,400 households in England, living in temporary accommodation at the end of March 2024 (ONS).

The National Legislative and Policy Framework

The UK Government sets the legislative framework for preventing and addressing homelessness, and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) is responsible for implementing national policy and distributing funding to local authorities.

This strategy aligns with the national legislative and policy framework, incorporating changes since the 2019-24 strategy.

Key Legislation and Policies:

• Housing Act (1996) & Homelessness Act (2002) established local authorities’ duties to provide advice, emergency accommodation, and publish homelessness strategies.
• Welfare Reform Acts (2012 & 2016) introduced Universal Credit, benefit caps, and sanctions, which have impacted housing stability and increased homelessness risks.
• Homelessness Reduction Act (2017) introduced new duties to prevent and relieve homelessness, including extending the “threatened with homelessness” period to 56 days; requiring prevention and relief for all eligible applicants, regardless of priority need; and introduced a legal “duty to refer” for public services to notify councils of at-risk people. We will continue to work extensively with partners to ensure those referred are supported and provided for. Improvements to communication will be prioritised.
• Leaving the EU (Brexit) (2021) imposed "no recourse to public funds" restrictions on EU nationals without settled status, excluding them from homelessness assistance.
• Illegal Migration Act (2023) limited access to support for asylum seekers and irregular migrants, while increasing homelessness risks.
• Rough Sleeping Strategies (2018 & 2022) aim to end rough sleeping by 2027, supported by a four-pronged approach: prevention, intervention, recovery, and transparency, backed by £2 billion funding to 2025.
• Social Housing White Paper (2023) set standards for social housing landlords to provide adequate housing and extended permanent social housing standards to temporary accommodation.
• Domestic Abuse Act (2021) enhanced protection and support for victims of domestic abuse, recognising its link to homelessness.
• Armed Forces Act (2021) increased responsibility for local authorities. Due regard must be paid to the principles of the Covenant when carrying out specific public functions in various areas, including housing.

Future Changes

• The Government plans further change to devolution, local government reorganisation, housing and planning policy that may influence future homelessness and rough sleeping levels in Welwyn Hatfield.
• Planning reform, including the devolution of services and changes to planning restrictions and requirements, setting targets for home building and giving local authorities more control of home building.
• Renter protections, including the ending of section 21, “no-fault” evictions, which have been a significant cause of homelessness from the private rental sector.
• Improving the quality of homes by extending Awaab’s Law and the Decent Homes Standard to the private sector and applying minimum energy efficiency standards to social housing.
• Local Government Reorganisation in Hertfordshire. The expected unitarisation of local government should lower for the combining of districts and county level services. This should provide greater resilience and more cross-departmental outcomes particularly relating to heath and prevention.
• Funding, while the recently announced Homelessness Grants have been at lower than previously received levels of funding. The Strategy and subsequent Action Plans will need to focus on how we can more efficiently and effectively support those facing homelessness in the borough. The approach needs to, as with other health and welling interventions, prioritise early intervention and measures to prevent homelessness and rough sleeping.