Accommodation
Homelessness Act 2002
Click to access the Homelessness Act 2002 [opens in new window].
Part VII of the Housing Act 1996 is amended by the Homeless Act 2002. The Act also ratifies the extension of the priority need categories introduced in the Priority Needs Order 2001 Statutory Instrument.
The Homelessness Act 2002 places a new requirement on local housing authorities to carry out a review of homelessness in their area and develop a five-year homelessness strategy to:
- prevent homelessness in their district
- ensure that sufficient accommodation is available for those who are or may become homeless
- secure the provision of support for people who may be become homeless or who will need support to prevent them becoming homeless again.
All local housing authorities have now published their first homelessness strategy.
The authority must keep the strategy under review, and amend and update it as necessary. The authority must take the strategy into account in exercising their housing and homelessness functions.
Social services are required to assist the housing authority with their homelessness review and strategy and Probation is also encouraged to be involved in the process.
These two organisations are partners to the YOTs and so should be making sure that young offenders remain on the local agenda. Authorities are, however, required to consider the extent to which the strategy’s objectives can be achieved through joint action with other agencies and this includes the YOT partnership.
YOTs therefore need to make sure that they are strongly involved in the ongoing development and review of their local authority homeless strategies. This involvement may include the provision of data, participation in homeless strategy steering group and involvement in a range of consultation exercises. It is important that YOTs seek to involve young people in the consultation process as well.
Homelessness strategies should become a vehicle through which the following issues in YOTs’ accommodation strategies are addressed:
- preventing homelessness
- local authorities’ failure to comply with their duties under the homelessness legislation
- reducing the use of bed-and-breakfast for young people and developing appropriate alternatives for young homeless people
- delivery of support services
- development of protocols
- mediation services for young people and their families.