Download Homelessness is prevented in more than four times as many cases

Homelessness is prevented
in more than four times as
many cases as households
are actually accepted as
homeless in England.
250,000
Total cases of
homelessness
prevention
and relief
in England,
2009/10 to
2014/15
200,000
Total
decisions of
homelessness
acceptances
in England,
2009/10 to
2014/15
150,000
100,000
50,000
0
2009/10
2010/11
2011/12
2012/13
2013/14
2014/15
The story behind the numbers
Since 2009 local authorities have recorded the number of households they have helped to avoid homelessness or find
alternative accommodation where there is no legal obligation to do so. This is known as homelessness prevention and
relief.
These figures are important in painting a more accurate picture of the scale of homelessness rather than only looking at
statutory acceptances. While the most recent figures show a 3% drop since last year, levels of homelessness prevention
and relief have risen by 34% since 2009/10.
With 220,800 households helped in 2014/15 they are now more than four times the level of homelessness acceptances.
The most common support provided has been in assisting people to find alternative tenancies, either with a private
landlord (16% of total cases) or in social housing (16%). However, the proportion of households helped to find private
rented accommodation with a landlord incentive scheme, such as getting help to pay a deposit, is less than half of what
it was in 2009/10.
For the same period, we can see other notable trends in the types of prevention and relief being provided – a possible
indication of the impact of housing benefit reforms and reductions in local authority budgets:
•
•
Support which relates to resolving problems with housing benefit is nearly five times as high
Support delivered as a crisis intervention or emergency support has doubled
Working for better prevention
Many frontline homelessness services currently rank prevention as their biggest concern.
But how does it work in practice and who should it be targeted at? While the figures show increased levels of
prevention and relief activity by councils since 2010, we have seen a 55% increase in rough sleeping throughout the
same period, and last year councils were able to prevent homelessness among young people in only 1 in 5 cases
In a new report we argue that preventing homelessness should be seen as the business of a range of local services,
including hospitals, GP surgeries and schools, to ensure those at risk of homelessness are targeted at the earliest
possible stage.
Figures taken from government statistics on homelessness prevention and relief (DCLG), the Homeless Link member
survey and our youth homelessness research.
More facts & figures: homeless.org.uk/facts