Scottish Government

1. Introduction

This bulletin presents statistics on applications made to Scottish local authorities for assistance under the Homeless Persons legislation from the mid-90s to 2005-06. The number of applications, together with detailed analyses of how local authorities have assessed and dealt with cases, is provided at both national and local authority level, including data on households in temporary accommodation.

Main points

1.1 Key trends and the main features of applications and outcomes in 2005-06, described in more detail in Section 2 of this bulletin, are:-

• The number of applications for assistance increased to 59,970 in 2005-06. ( Table 1 and Chart 1). A high proportion of the increase is accounted for by increases in applications in 4 councils, and may in part, be due to changes in recording practice by these councils - see Section 2.4.2.
• Higher proportions of households from the most deprived neighbourhoods and from the Black, Black Scottish or Black British ethnic group applied for assistance, compared to other groups.
• In contrast to the increase in applications, the number assessed as homeless in 2005-06 has remained at a little over 40,000, and the number assessed as homeless and in priority need has remained at a little over 30,000 in 2005-06 ( Table 1 and Chart 1).
• In 2005-06 14% of homeless applicants were potentially homeless - i.e. when they applied for assistance they were assessed as likely to become homeless within the next 2 months ( Table 16). Just over a third (34%) of potentially homeless with whom contact was maintained became homeless before the council discharged its duty.
• Potentially homeless households are equally likely to secure permanent accommodation, less likely to secure temporary accommodation and more likely to return to their previous accommodation than all households.
• There were 8,135 applicant households in temporary accommodation at 31 March 2006 an increase of 8% on a year earlier ( Table 23 and Chart 5). 11 councils reported breaches of the Homeless Persons (Unsuitable Accommodation) (Scotland) Order, with 55 households in unsuitable temporary accommodation at 31 March 2006.
• The number of households securing permanent accommodation as the outcome of their application has increased from around 12,000 per year from 1993-94 to 2002-03 to 18,603 by 2005-06 (Chart 6 and Table 29). Numbers placed in temporary accommodation as the outcome of their application has fallen from around 8,000 in 1999-00 to just under 2,000 in 2005-06.

Note: Assessment figures for 2005-06 exclude cases which have not been assessed by the end of the period. For applications made in 2005-06, there were 4,307 cases which had not been assessed by the end of the period.

Context

1.2 In interpreting the statistics and analyses in this bulletin it is important to bear in mind that the information is derived from councils' administration of homelessness legislation. Trends can be affected by legislative changes, changes in interpretation of legislation or guidance and by changes in local authority recording practice. Where these have been identified these are highlighted in the description of the main trends.

1.3 In 2001, the Scottish Parliament passed legislation which placed additional duties on councils to provide a minimum of temporary accommodation, advice and assistance to all applicants assessed as homeless. In particular, from September 2002, councils have been required to provide temporary accommodation, advice and assistance to non-priority applicants who in the past would have received advice and assistance only. This has had a noticeable impact on applications, which has been reflected in changing assessments and outcomes for homeless people. Some tables in this bulletin therefore present time series data from 2002-03 onwards in order that this impact can be tracked.

1.4 The Homelessness Etc (Scotland) Act 2003 aims to ensure that by 2012 everyone assessed as being unintentionally homeless is entitled to permanent accommodation. In the homelessness statistics we would generally expect to see progress towards this commitment reflected in increasing proportions of those applicants who are homeless assessed as also in priority need, and reducing proportions assessed as non priority.

1.5 The Homeless Persons (Unsuitable Accommodation) (Scotland) Order came into force in December 2004. This Order requires councils to ensure that households with children or pregnant women are not placed in unsuitable temporary accommodation, unless exceptional circumstances apply. The definition of unsuitable accommodation, as well as a more detailed summary of current legislation, can be found at the end of this release. Changes in the data collection to monitor the implementation of the Order are described in the notes section before the tables.

Contents

1. Introduction
2. Commentary
3. Summary of current legislation
4. Notes on tables

Applications and applicant households
Number of applications to local authorities under the Homeless Persons legislation: 1992-93 to 2005-06
Applications by assessment and household type: 1995-96 to 2005-06
Number of applications under the Homeless Persons legislation by local authority: 1996-97 to 2005-06
Number of applications made by households within 12 months by household type: 2005-06
Number of applications made by households within 12 months by local authority: 2005-06
Applications reassessed as homeless/potentially homeless within 12 months of previous case being closed by local authority: 2005-06
Number of individual households applying by local authority: 2005-06
Households applying by local authority and household type: 2005-06
Applications by ethnicity and deprivation category: 2005-06
Main reason for applying: 2005-06

Local authority assessment
Local authority assessment decision: 2002-03 to 2005-06
Assessment decision by household type: 2005-06
Assessment decision by presence of children in household and age of main applicant: 2005-06
Households assessed as homeless/in priority need by local authority: 2005-06
Applications from single person households assessed as priority homeless by local authority area: 2003-04 to 2005-06

Applications assessed as potentially homeless
Applications assessed as potentially homeless by local authority: 2005-06
Local authority action for applications assessed as potentially homeless by assessment decision and local authority: 2005-06
Housing outcome for applications assessed as potentially homeless by assessment decision and local authority: 2005-06

Action taken by local authorities
Local authority action by assessment decision: 2005-06
Local authority action by assessment decision and household type: 2005-06
Local authority action by assessment decision and local authority area: 2005-06
Length of time between application and last action by assessment decision: 2005-06

Households in temporary accommodation
Households in temporary accommodation by accommodation type as at 31 March: 1995 to 2006
Households with children by accommodation type as at 31 March: 2002 to 2006
Households with dependent children or pregnant women by accommodation type and local authority: at 31 March 2006
Households with children in temporary accommodation by local authority area: as at 31 March 2005 to 31 March 2006
Breaches of Unsuitable Accommodation Order by local authority area: as at 30 June, 30 September, 31 December 2005 and 31 March 2006
Housing outcome by assessment decision and household type: 2005-06
Housing outcome by assessment decision and local authority area: 2005-06

Supplementary tables
Detailed reason for applying: 2005-06
Individuals in households by gender and age: 2005-06
Household type and characteristics of main applicant: 2005-06

5. Notes and definitions

Contact information and other recent Scottish Executive Development Department statistical publications on housing

2. Commentary

Applications and applicant households

2.1 The number of applications to councils for assistance each year under the homelessness legislation which had remained at between 40,000 and 45,000 per year in the mid to late 1990's increased rapidly from 2000-01 and is now in 2005-06 a little under 60,000. ( Table 1 and Chart 1). The legislative changes described in Section 1.3 are likely to have been a significant factor affecting this change in trend. The new duties to provide temporary accommodation and the trend towards higher proportions of applicants assessed as in priority need in moving to the 2012 commitment are likely to have encouraged applications from households who, prior to the changes would have received advice and assistance only.

2.2 Since 2000-01, almost all of the increase in applications has been from single person households - particularly in the period to 2003-04 (Chart 2 and Table 2). The legislative changes are likely to have been a major driver of this increase. Single applicants are less likely to be assessed as in priority need and have therefore benefited most from the new duties introduced from September 2002 and the 2012 commitment. Some of the increase in numbers of single applicants may also reflect wider social change. Household estimates and projections show that the total number of single person households is increasing.

2.3 Around a quarter of all applicants are single parents (24% in 2005-06). The number of single parent households applying for assistance, which remained at around 12,000 between 1996-97 and 2002-03, has increased at around 800 per year since then and is now around 14,500.

2.4 Additional key features of applications in 2005-06 were:-

2.4.1 In 2005-06, 56,811 individual households made applications to local authorities under the Homeless Persons legislation ( Table 7). There were 59,970 applications in total during the period, 4% more than in 2004-05 ( Table 3). Although this represents a larger increase compared to last year, it remains smaller than those observed previously for 2002-03 and 2003-04.

2.4.2 A high proportion (74%) of the 2,516 increase in applications between 2004-05 and 2005-06 is accounted for by increases in 4 councils - West Dunbartonshire, Dundee City, Scottish Borders and Aberdeen City - all of which recorded increases of over 20% between 2004-05 and 2005-06. These increases were driven in part by councils recording as formal applications for assistance approaches which, in the past, would have been treated as a general inquiry and not recorded.

2.4.3 Nine per cent of households applying in 2005-06 applied more than once in a 12-month period ( Table 5).

2.4.4 Single-person households accounted for almost 8 out of 10 households applying more than once in the period 2005-06 ( Table 4).

2.4.5 In 2005-06, the majority of households applying were single-person households (63%), mainly men. Single parents, predominantly women, accounted for the next largest group (24%) ( Table 8).

2.4.6 Households from areas with higher levels of deprivation were more likely to apply as homeless ( Table 9). .

2.4.7 The main reasons given for applying as homeless were loss of accommodation with relatives or friends (36%) and disputes within the household (23%). Single people and couples without children were more likely to give the former reason, while over 40% of female single parent households gave disputes within the household as the main reason ( Table 10).

Local authority assessment

2.5 Between 1992-93 and 2000-01 the number of applications assessed as homeless increased from around 30,000 to just over 33,000. Between 2000-01 and 2003-04 the number assessed as homeless increased by around 10,000 to 43,000. Subsequently the number assessed as homeless has remained at a little over 40,000 per year. [Note that the figure in Table 1 of 40,431 assessed as homeless in 2005-06 may slightly understate the number of applicants in 2005-06 who were homeless. Some 4,300 cases had not been assessed by end March 2005-06 and a proportion of these will subsequently be assessed as homeless. On past experience the final figure is likely to be in the range 41,000 - 42,000].

2.6 In the mid 1990's, of those applicants assessed as homeless around 55% were assessed as in priority need. This proportion increased rapidly to 73% by 2001-02 and more slowly to 75% in 2005-06. ( Table 1 and Chart 1). It seems likely that once all assessment of 2005-06 applicants are completed around 31,000 applicant households will have been assessed as in priority need.

2.7 Additional key features of assessments in 2005-06 were:-

2.7.1 Of the 54,911 households assessed during 2005-06, 39,923 (73%) were assessed as homeless. Of those assessed as homeless, 30,187 (76%) were assessed as in priority need ( Table 14).

2.7.2 Assessment patterns varied by local authority: of those assessed as homeless, the proportion in priority need ranged from 89% for West Dunbartonshire, to 51% for Moray ( Table 14).

2.7.3 The increase in priority need assessments has been more marked among applications from single-person households: this has risen from 32% of those assessed as homeless in 1996-97 to 64% in 2005-06. Again, there is substantial variation among local authorities, ranging from 86% for West Dunbartonshire to 25% for Moray ( Table 15).

Note: Assessment figures for 2005-06 exclude cases which have not been assessed by the end of the period. For applications made in 2005-06, there were 2,495 cases which had not been assessed by the end of the period.

Applications assessed as potentially homeless

2.8 A person is potentially homeless if it is likely that he/she will become homeless within 2 months. When a person or household is potentially homeless, i.e. threatened with homelessness it may be possible for the homelessness case officer to assist the household to retain their present accommodation or to provide a housing outcome before the household becomes homeless. Tables 16-18 provide information on the assessments and outcomes for applicant households who were assessed as potentially homeless in 2005-06.

2.9 Key features of applications and outcomes for potentially homeless households in 2005-06 are:-

2.9.1 Of the 40,417 households assessed as homeless or potentially homeless in 2005-06 14% were potentially homeless ( Table 16, column 3).

2.9.2 The proportion potentially homeless varied widely between councils with Dundee (62%), Perth & Kinross(56%), Moray (40%) and West Lothian (38%) having significantly higher proportions potentially homeless and some councils, for example South Ayrshire (1%), Stirling (1%), North Ayrshire (1%), Aberdeen (2%), Scottish Borders (3%) and Fife (3%) having a very low proportion of potentially homeless applicants.

2.9.3 In cases where the potentially homeless household maintained contact, just over a third (34%) of these households became homeless before the outcome of their application. ( Table 16, final column).

2.9.4 Of the potentially homeless in priority need 72% secured permanent accommodation 1% temporary accommodation and 12% returned to their previous accommodation. ( Table 18) Of the non priority potentially homeless 12% secured permanent accommodation, 2% temporary accommodation and 37% returned to previous accommodation.

2.9.5 Potentially homeless households are less likely to be placed in temporary accommodation and significantly more likely than all homeless households to return to their previous accommodation (Chart 4). The contrast is particularly marked for households not in priority need.

Action taken by local authorities

2.10 Tables 19-22 provide information on the action taken by local authorities on applications. In particular the tables provide information on accommodation offers made to applicants and whether the offers were accepted or rejected. Sections 2.16 and 2.17 provide information on the final outcomes of applications.

2.11 Key features of action taken by local authorities in 2005-06 were:-

2.11.1 About 11% of social tenancies offered to applicant households and around 30% of temporary accommodation offered in 2005-06 were not accepted ( Table 19, final column).

2.11.2 There were 55,226 applications actioned by local authorities during 2005-06: out of the 24,497 assessed as in priority need, 72% were offered permanent accommodation and 10% were offered temporary accommodation. ( Table 21). The current figures show a marked increase over 2002-03 where 59% of applications assessed as priority need were offered permanent accommodation.

2.11.3 Of the 8,619 assessed as homeless and not in priority need, 33% were offered temporary accommodation and 10% permanent accommodation. Among the 4,455 assessed as not homeless, 4% were offered permanent accommodation and 9% were offered temporary accommodation ( Table 21).

Households in temporary accommodation

2.12 The number of households placed in temporary accommodation by local authorities under the Homeless Persons legislation increased rapidly from March 2002. This increase has been driven both by the increase in applications and by the new duties placed on councils since September 2002 to provide a minimum of temporary accommodation and advice and assistance to all households assessed as homeless.

2.13 The homelessness statistics system monitors the use of temporary accommodation through a series of snapshot returns giving information on numbers in temporary accommodation at the end of each quarter. Key features for the period up to 31 March 2006 are:-

2.13.1 There were 8,135 households in temporary accommodation on 31 March 2006 ( Table 23). This represents an increase of 8% compared to the situation as at 31 March 2005. However, previous increases have been higher (15% between 31 March 2004 and 31 March 2005), and the longer term data continue to show a degree of tapering off for the rate of increase (Chart 5).

2.13.2 The most recent figure for households with children or pregnant women in temporary accommodation was 2,798 as at 31 March 2006 ( Table 23). The category of households with children or pregnant women was introduced for June 2005 to monitor the implementation of the Unsuitable Accommodation Order. Therefore figures from this point onwards are not strictly comparable with previous ones as households with pregnant women and no children will not have been included.

2.13.3 As at 31 March 2006, 58% of households in temporary accommodation were in local authority or housing association accommodation, with a further 18% in hostels and 19% in bed and breakfast accommodation ( Table 24).

2.13.4 Households with children or pregnant women are mainly provided with local authority or housing association accommodation (84%), with a minority (5%) being placed in bed and breakfast accommodation.

2.13.5 On 31 March 2006, there were 134 households with children or pregnant women in bed and breakfast accommodation. This varied by local authority, with 18 local authorities having none or only one household with children in bed and breakfast, and five local authorities having more than ten ( Tables 24 and 25).

Implementation of the Unsuitable Accommodation Order

2.14 For each quarter from June 2005 councils have reported on number households in temporary accommodation at the end of the quarter which was in breach of the Unsuitable Accommodation Order. Section 3.5 of this bulletin describes the order, which aims to ensure that households with children or pregnant women are not housed in unsuitable temporary accommodation at any stage in their application and assessment.

2.15 The first four snapshot figures for 30 June, 30 September and 31 December 2005, and 31 March 2006 ( Table 27) show:-

2.15.1 Eleven councils reported breaches of the order on 31 March 2006, affecting 55 households. This represents 2% of households with children or pregnant women in temporary accommodation at that point.

2.15.2 Sixteen local authorities had no breaches of the Order at any time point.

2.15.3 Around two-thirds of local authorities did not have any breaches of the Order at any single time point.

2.15.4 Seven local authorities had five or more breaches at some time point.

Time trends for these figures will be reported as more data become available.

Housing outcomes

2.16 Reflecting the increases in applications and numbers of households assessed as in priority need, the number of applicant households securing permanent accommodation has also increased significantly in the most recent period. Up to 1999-00 around 10,000 households per year secured permanent accommodation. Since 2002-03, this number has increased by between 1,000 to 2,000 per year and in 2005-06 some 18,600 households secured permanent accommodation. ( Table 29 and Chart 6).

2.17 The main additional features of outcomes secured in 2005-06 by homeless applicants were:-

2.17.1 Of the 23,448 applications assessed as in priority need and actioned during 2005-06, 70% were re-housed in permanent accommodation, 5% secured temporary accommodation and 7% returned to their previous/present accommodation ( Table 28).

2.17.2 Seventy six per cent of households with children assessed as in priority need secured permanent accommodation, as did 65% of single-person households assessed as priority ( Table 28).

2.17.3 Of those in priority need, the proportion securing permanent accommodation varied between councils from 87% in Dundee to 45% in Midlothian. A relatively high proportion (17%) of priority homeless in Glasgow secured temporary accommodation.

3. Summary of current legislation

3.1 The Housing (Homeless Persons) Act 1977, now consolidated into Part II of the Housing (Scotland) Act 1987, introduced statutory duties on housing authorities to assist those who are homeless or threatened with homelessness (potentially homeless), including providing accommodation in certain circumstances.

3.2 The legislation requires local authorities to make inquiries into the circumstances of applicants to satisfy themselves whether the applicant is homeless or potentially homeless. Once the authority is satisfied this is the case, it must also determine whether the applicant has a priority need, whether he/she became homeless intentionally and may also explore whether the applicant has a local connection with another authority in Scotland, England or Wales. A local connection with an authority means that the applicant normally resided in that area from choice, either because he/she was employed in or had family associations with it, or for other special reasons.

3.3 Section 24 of the Housing (Scotland) Act 1987, as amended, defines homelessness for the purposes of the Act as follows. A person is homeless if he/she has no accommodation in the UK or elsewhere. A person is also homeless if he/she has accommodation but cannot occupy it, or it would be unreasonable for them to occupy it, for example because of a threat of violence. A person is potentially homeless (threatened with homelessness) if it is likely that he/she will become homeless within two months. A person is intentionally homeless if he/she deliberately did or failed to do anything which led to the loss of accommodation which it was reasonable for him/her to continue to occupy.

3.4 A person is regarded as having a priority need for accommodation if:

a. the household contains dependent children

b. a member of the household is pregnant

c. a member of the household is vulnerable because of:
old age
learning disability
physical disability
personality disorder
mental illness
chronic ill health
miscarriage
abortion
discharge from hospital, prison or the armed forces
other special reasons

d. he/she is
a single young person under 21 who is looked after by a local authority (formerly 'in care') at school leaving age or later
at risk of sexual or financial exploitation or involvement in substance misuse as a result of their living circumstances

e. the household is homeless in an emergency (such as fire or flood).

f. he/she is a person aged 16 or 17

g. he/she runs the risk of domestic abuse

h. he/she runs the risk of violence or harassment by reason of their religion, sexual orientation, race, colour or ethnic or national origins.

(Housing (Scotland) Act 1987, Section 25)

3.5 The Housing (Scotland) Act 2001 requires councils to provide a minimum of temporary accommodation, advice and assistance to all applicants assessed as homeless, regardless of whether they have been assessed as being in priority need. The Homelessness Etc (Scotland) Act 2003 is more long-term in scope, notably introducing a phasing out of the distinction between priority and non-priority applications, and enabling the suspension of the test of local connection. The ultimate aim of the Act is to ensure that everyone assessed as being unintentionally homeless is entitled to permanent accommodation by 2012. The Homeless Persons (Unsuitable Accommodation) (Scotland) Order 2004 came into force on 6 December 2004, and is intended to prevent the routine use of unsuitable temporary accommodation for households with family commitments. Under this Order, local authorities cannot put households with children and pregnant women into 'unsuitable' temporary accommodation, unless exceptional circumstances apply.

3.6 A summary of local authorities' current responsibilities is shown in Figure 1.

Monitoring

3.7 The Ministerial Statement on the Abolition of Priority Need, published in December 2005, indicated that local authorities would be asked to produce progress reports focusing on performance against the topline outcomes set by the Homelessness Monitoring Group:

• No one need sleep rough
• Existing homelessness becomes more visible
• Sustainable resettlement is secured for people who have become homeless
• Fewer people become homeless in the first place
• The duration of homelessness is reduced

3.8 The Scottish Executive will issue centrally held data derived from this bulletin and the wider HL1 data set to local authorities as part of this monitoring process - to enable a more informed dialogue with local government regarding homelessness trends and data.

Figure 1 Local authority assessment of applicants and responsibilities under the current Homeless Persons legislation

Note: Lost contacts and situations resolved prior to assessment are not indicated as local authorities have no statutory responsibilities in these cases. In the case of loss of contact, the case may only be closed after 28 days from the date of last interview.

4. Notes on tables

4.1 The data presented in these tables are based on the time period relevant to the analysis. In some cases this might be the year of application, while in others this might relate to the year in which the assessment was made or action taken. Data prior to December 2001 are reported by year of application only, as are any time series data. All years refer to financial years.

4.2 Between 1990-91 and 10 December 2001, information from the authorities' case returns is grossed up so that the total number of applications, on the whole, is equal to the numbers supplied on the authorities' quarterly returns. Since the resulting figures are estimates, the numbers are rounded to the nearest hundred for national level analyses and to the nearest ten for local authority level analyses (see section 5). Due to the fact that the national figures from 1992-93 to December 2001 are rounded, figures may not sum to the totals given, as the totals are based on the unrounded figures. Percentages are also based on unrounded figures.

4.3 To facilitate comparisons between authorities, some of the local authority tables are presented in the form of percentages. However, where the number of applications is small the percentage figures should be treated with caution.

4.4 Unless otherwise stated, the assessment category of 'homeless' includes both homeless and potentially homeless, as well as unintentional and intentional homeless. Although the focus of the current legislative changes is on providing secure accommodation to those assessed as unintentionally homeless, the proportion of applications assessed as intentionally homeless and in priority need is relatively small. This category has therefore been combined with that of unintentionally homeless and in priority need for the more complex analyses.

4.5 The data collection system introduced in December 2001 allows analysis by individual households and the identification of repeat applications. However, this is not the case for earlier data and so analyses comparing data over time will tend to refer to applications rather than individual households. This is also the case for analyses of flow through the assessment process where repeat applications by the same individual household might be assessed differently and have different outcomes. For other analyses it is useful to distinguish individual households and so the unit of analysis (applications or individual households) is specified in the footnotes for each table.

4.6 The figures on households in temporary accommodation relate to households which have been placed in temporary accommodation by a local authority under the Homeless Persons legislation. This will include households for whom the local authority's decision and final action is still pending, as well as households which were secured such accommodation as a final action by the authority under the legislation. The data provide a snapshot picture of the numbers in temporary accommodation as at the last day of each quarter.

4.7 The following symbols are used in all tables:

4.8 Figures which have been revised for this issue (as well as all percentages) are shown in italic type. In some tables, where figures have been rounded, the total shown may not equal the sum of its constituent parts.

4.9 Due to the live nature of the data collection system, figures are updated on a continuous basis and the information published here may differ from that published previously.