Nottingham has the highest rate of homelessness in the East Midlands, new data has revealed. Figures from registered charity Shelter estimates a total of 1614 people who are recorded as homeless in Nottingham - this means that one in 201 people in the city are registered as homeless.
This figure is "shocking", said Denis Tully, CEO at Emmanuel House, an independent charity that supports people who are homeless, rough sleeping, in crisis, or at risk of homelessness in Nottingham. He said that the problem exists despite the wide ranging partnership working amongst agencies across the city to prevent homelessness, adding: "Whilst lately the cost of living crisis in having a local effect, there is no doubt that national policy has greater impact.
"For example the Right to Buy a council house reduces affordable housing. The Housing Benefits cap makes rented accommodation less affordable. This means that even with support, people get stuck in the system, while move-on options out of homelessness become less available.”
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The worrying report also reveals 898 children are homeless in the city. Charities supporting the rough sleepers in the city said cuts continuing reductions in local authority budgets, mixed with the cost of living crisis has created the 'perfect storm'.
Charities supporting homeless people in Nottingham recognised 'immense pressure' on the services aiming to help these groups. Andrew Redfern, Chief Executive of Framework - a charity helping people achieve stable housing and health, social inclusion, financial stability and independence, commented: "These numbers are a stark reminder that the temporary measures taken to bring people indoors during the Covid pandemic have not solved the long-term problem. We see immense pressure on services for single homeless people, homeless families and those with mental health, drug or alcohol issues."
Their 'number one ask' to the government, as Mr Redfern described it, is to re-create the successful Supporting People programme that "it [the government] abandoned despite weighty evidence of the dire consequences that this disastrous decision would have".
The Supporting People programme was launched in 2003 as a £1.8 billion ring fenced grant to local authorities intended to fund services to help vulnerable people live independently. In 2009, the ring fence was removed from the grant thereby allowing all local authorities to spend their Supporting People allocation as they deemed appropriate.
Mr Redfern continued, adding: "The rise in single homelessness has its origins in the dismantling of the Supporting People programme over the past ten years. It is exacerbated by continuing reductions in local authority budgets and a shortage of homes, which the current level of new building is insufficient to tackle.
"Framework has been working closely with Nottingham City Council and other partners to control the level of rough sleeping but the sharp rise in family homelessness shows no sign of abating. The cost of providing temporary accommodation for these families is eye-watering. When super-imposed on these long-term issues, the cost of living crisis creates a perfect storm.
"Our number one ‘ask’ is for the Government to re-create the successful Supporting People programme that it abandoned despite weighty evidence of the dire consequences that this disastrous decision would have. It is heart breaking to see that warnings given as long ago as 2010 continue to be validated.
"This crucial step should form part of a joined-up national strategy on homelessness and rough sleeping that would also include new homes, the refurbishment of existing ones and the specialist wraparound support that some people need to live successfully in the community. An end to the counter-productive policy of withholding benefits and employment rights from some foreign nationals would also be more than welcome. In the meantime despite the cost and other pressures, Framework will sustain its programmes of housing, health, support and employment interventions and enhance them where we have the resources to do so."
Councillor Toby Neal, Portfolio Holder for Housing at Nottingham City Council, explained that while homelessness exists in many larger cities across the country, the problem is "exacerbated here by high levels of deprivation combined with lower levels of household income, which can severely restrict people’s housing options".
He went on and said: "We recognise that there are higher numbers of people in Nottingham experiencing homelessness and are working hard to address the issue. The situation is similar in many larger cities across the country but is exacerbated here by high levels of deprivation combined with lower levels of household income, which can severely restrict people’s housing options.
"There have also been recent rises in private rents which are placing a higher level of demand on the market, while people are approaching us later for help – this hampers our ability to intervene earlier to prevent more homelessness. Additionally, we lose around 350 homes every year under the Right To Buy scheme and continue to urge Government to consider a fundamental review of this legislation.
"The current discounts offered to tenants are too high in our opinion, the selling-on to private landlords creates management problems and poor maintenance of properties, and we also think that councils should retain 100 per cent of right-to-buy receipts for reinvestment in new homes where they are needed.
“However, we’re taking a number of key actions to manage housing demand in Nottingham, accelerate case management to get people housed quicker and to increase supply. This includes significant additional resources into the homelessness functions of the council, a review of the Allocations Policy to ensure we are making maximum use of our housing stock, securing grants from Government and further partnership working to support people earlier.”
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