Question:
1. Demonstrate your understanding of key policy debates related to this policy area and where appropriate relevant legislative and policy frameworks
2. Demonstrate an understanding of changing policy interventions and current trends.
3. Demonstrate your understanding of competing theoretical ideas about appropriate policy intervention.
4. The review should demonstrate a detailed knowledge of that area. Focus on one specific issue.
Solution: –
Table of Contents
Introduction………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 3
Homelessness in London Docklands…………………………………………………………………………….. 3
Legislative and Policy Frameworks relating to the Problem……………………………………………… 4
Policy Debates related to the Problem…………………………………………………………………………… 5
Changing policy interventions and Current trends………………………………………………………….. 6
Conclusion………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 8
Introduction
The Homeless category of population is observed to be constituted by the following groups of people like ‘Sleeping Rough’; students living in hostels, small shelters and other temporary based accommodations; people that are currently without homes and thereby tend to seek support for housing facilities from the local government authorities regarded as ‘Statutory Homeless’ and finally the people or population groups tagged as ‘Hidden Homeless’. This homeless population set is considered to be hidden in nature in that the existence of such people fails to be traced both physically in the streets and also in the different government and other statutory records. Students or other people sharing an accommodation facility are also considered to fall in the category of ‘Hidden Homeless’. The growth in the number of homeless population in developed countries like United Kingdom at an alarming rate is requires the government to generate effective legislative and policy measures to help tackle the situation (Warnes et al. 2003). The paper endeavours to evaluate the efficacy of such measures in rightly handling the issue of homelessness in United Kingdom.
Homelessness in London Docklands
The number of homeless population is observed to potentially increase in London. Estimates made around 2013 reveal that the number of homeless population in the country accounts to have been raised by around 62 percent. Population statistics reveal that one out of every ten people appears to be homeless. The number of homeless people in the region is observed to have been considerably increased along the period ranging from 2010 to 2013 especially related to areas like London Docklands. The issue of homelessness has become a potential problem owing to the lack of availability of effective housing resources. The lack of accommodation facilities in United Kingdom contributes in the increase of residential costs which in turn enhances the problem of homelessness. Moreover the government policies relating to the reduction of housing benefits and services are also observed to be largely contributes in the problem of homelessness in the region. The growth in the number of homeless population in London is observed to potentially attract the charity organisations to generate food and bedding resources for helping the destitute. The homeless population in the dockland area of London reflects more or less identical stories of youths and professional people that having lost their employments and having usurped their savings had to find a living in the streets (Fitzpatrick et al. 2012). A large number of inventories relating to foods, clothes and blankets and also medicines are made accessible to the homeless population by the Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) and Charity firms to provide needed support to the homeless people. Research carried out on the homeless population reflects that a large section of the homeless people tend to die at around 47 years. This reflects the need for generation of effective policies to generate needed support to the homeless population in United Kingdom in that the average age of living of the people tend to increase to around 75 years. People dwelling in the streets are termed as rough sleepers that are devoid of enjoying festive times like Christmas with their dear ones. It is also observed that the homeless population in the dockland region of London not only consists of local population but also people hailing from European regions like Poland. The NGOs are also observed to effectively work in aiding the homeless population through generation of effective support lawyers, and other people relating to housing bureau and other organisations that provide housing consultations (Fitzpatrick et al. 2013).
Legislative and Policy Frameworks relating to the Problem
The legislative practices pertaining to homelessness in United Kingdom defines the concept of homelessness as that where the individual fails to gain an effective accommodation in the region. Thus a person is identified to be homeless where one fails to avail a housing facility whether in proper city or around other regions. Similarly a person is identified to be homeless when one fails to sustain the benefit of accommodating a specific house for different types of factors external or otherwise. Moreover the idea of homelessness better applies to a situation for persons dwelling in different regions like England, Wales and also in other areas of Northern Ireland where it is observed that they may get to be homeless in a period of 28 days. In areas pertaining to Scotland the idea of homelessness applies to individuals where there is a chance of them becoming homeless within a period of 2 months (Okamoto 2007). A person identified to have become homeless in an intentional fashion relating to United Kingdom is taken to fall within a specific category. Firstly the individual is categorised to have committed a wrong thing or failed to have done a right thing in an intentional fashion and as a consequence of such the individual’s stay in the house has become difficult. The second category reflects that the individual had the right or authority to have continued the stay in the house and in the third category where the applicant is rightly aware of the consequences of the actions taken or not taken in the first category. The different regions of United Kingdom like Ireland, England, Wales and Scotland reflect different types of legislations relating to homelessness. In Ireland the Housing Order passed during 2003 governs the situation of homelessness whereas in England and Wales the relevant legislations relate to the Housing Act of 1996 and also the Homelessness Act passed during 2002. Similarly in Scotland the potential legislations governing the situation of homelessness are observed to be the Hosing Act of 2001 and also the Homelessness Act passed in Scotland during 2002 (Fitzpatrick et al. 2011).
The housing authority of North Ireland provides accommodation to such homeless applicants that have lost their accommodations in an unintentional fashion owing to the emergence of national calamities like floods or in emergencies like outbreak of fire. The persons that have become homeless in an unintentional fashion are identified as ‘Full Duty Applicants’ or FDAs. The Housing Authority also makes special housing arrangements for persons that are not identified to be FDAs. Housing Facilities to the homeless population is also generated in different regions like England, Wales and also in Scotland depending on the rules set in the respective legislations. Policy frameworks relating to the Homelessness Act (2002) applying to the three regions reflect that firstly the people that have become homeless in an unintentional fashion and also rough sleepers need to be effectively identified. Effective accommodation plans are made for an initial two year period to potentially accommodate the homeless population. The policies also require the local authority to generate needed assistance, advice and support for the homeless applicants that are single and intentional in nature. Policy frameworks pertaining to Ireland also aim in generating financial support and housing allowances for the homeless population in the region (Henley 2014).
Policy Debates related to the Problem
The policy debates relate to the implications of the new policies taken by the Coalition Government of United Kingdom relating to the generation of housing facilities for the homeless population. Firstly the limitations generated by the government on the housing benefit schemes related to local housing facilities is observed to largely limit the access of such benefits to be availed by large families belonging to low-income groups. Secondly the rates for housing benefits set by the government are such that would potentially restrict the access of private sector organisations to use resources in the development of housing facilities. Moreover in the third case the enhancement of the rate for shared accommodation facilities for people pertaining to age groups ranging from 25 to 34 years is observed to increase the pressure of occupancy on such shared housing facilities (GOV.UK 2012). The fourth debate arises owing to the increasing of non-dependent based deductions from the housing benefits and also the removal of maintenance allowance pertaining to education facilities. These policies are taken to negatively contribute in the growth of youths being ejected out of the houses thereby helping in the increase of homeless youths. In the fifth case the introduction of the ‘under occupation penalty’ is taken to help in the growing of arrears relating to rent and also in increasing the growth of evictions in the region. The introduction of the above policies by the Coalition Government is observed to raise new debates on the generation of effective measures to help in reducing the number of homeless population in the region. The implementation of the policies also failed to reflect potential solutions to generate housing facilities for the poor families and youths in the region (Shelter 2007).
Changing policy interventions and Current trends
The Coalition Government of United Kingdom focused on the generation and issue of the Localism Act during the 2011 period. The introduction of the Localism Act is observed to generate improved potentials for the generation of private rental facilities in the region. Similarly during 2003 a funding stream termed as Supporting People was effectively introduced to contribute in the growth and development of the rehabilitation programs for homeless population in United Kingdom. Though the Supporting People scheme was taken to gain effective growth in the initial period still during 2009 the emergence of a large number of funding cuts tended to reduce the efficacy of the scheme. The generation of the Universal Credit scheme by the Coalition Government is observed to help in the generation of a combined scheme of benefits to the homeless population. The scheme also contributed in simplification of the different welfare benefits generated to the homeless population in United Kingdom. Similarly other policy reforms generated in United Kingdom constitute of programs like the Jobseekers Allowance and also the Employment and Support Allowance. These programs introduced during the 2013 period is taken to largely contribute in the growth of employment facilities for the youth communities in United Kingdom thereby targeting the reduction of homeless population in the region (GOV.UK 2012).
The current trends pertaining to the homeless population in United Kingdom for the 2012 period reflect that the total number of the rough sleeping population has increased by around 31 percent over the figures estimated during 2010 and 2011. There is still a sign of relief in that the rate of growth of the rough sleeping population which accounted to be 23 percent during 2011 is observed to reflect an increase by only 6 percent during the 2012 period. The trend in the Rough Sleeping population in the region accounted for the period ranging from 2004 to 2012 can be effectively reflected as follows.
(Fitzpatrick et al. 2013)
The growth in the number of rough sleeping population in United Kingdom account more because of the increase in the number of people hailing from Central and East European nations. Estimates reflect that the growth in the amount of rough sleeping people belonging to United Kingdom range to 66 percent while those pertaining to the European nations gained an increase by around 360 percent or around 4 times along a five year period 2007-08 to 2012-13. The growth in the number of statutory homeless population in United Kingdom reflects a growing trend of 6 percent during the 2012-13 period compared to around 14 percent for the period ranging from 2011-12. The growth in the number of homeless population pertaining to the different categories like Statutory Homeless, Intentionally Homeless, Non-Priority and Not Homeless along the period 2008-09 and 2012-13 can be essentially reflected in the following figure.
(Fitzpatrick et al. 2013)
Conclusion
The understanding of the different policies reflect that the government of United Kingdom need to first categorise between the intentional and unintentional homeless population. Identification of the same would help in prioritising the development of the policies for allocating homes for the needy population on the streets. Similarly policies need to be created for the allocation of resources and infrastructural inputs to help in generation of repairs to the houses of the unintentional homeless population. This would help the people to effectively return back to their homes. Similarly the policies also need to focus on the generation of needed financial support in terms of providing rent and housing allowances to the homeless population.
Reference List
Fitzpatrick, S., Pawson, H., Bramley, G., & Wilcox, S., 2011. ‘The homelessness monitor’. United Kingdom: Crisis.
Fitzpatrick, S., Pawson, H., Bramley, G., & Wilcox, S., 2012. ‘The homelessness monitor: Great Britain 2012’. London: Crisis.
Fitzpatrick, S., Pawson, H., Bramley, G., & Wilcox, S., 2013. ‘The homelessness monitor: England 2013’. United Kingdom: Crisis UK .
GOV.UK 2012,. Providing housing support for older and vulnerable people. Available on <https://www.gov.uk/government/policies/providing-housing-support-for-older-and-vulnerable-people/supporting-pages/dealing-with-homelessness>. [Accessed on 4th January 2015].
Henley, J., 2014. The homelessness crisis in England: a perfect storm. Available on <http://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/jun/25/homelessness-crisis-england-perfect-storm>. [Accessed on 4th January 2015].
Okamoto, Y., 2007. ‘A Comparative Study of Homelessness in the United Kingdom and Japan ‘. Journal of Social Issues. vol 63, no. 3, pp. 525-542.
Shelter, 2007. ‘Homelessness’, United Kingdom: Shelter.
Warnes, A., Crane, M., Whitehead, N., & Fu, R., 2003. ‘Homelessness Factfile’. London: Crisis.
