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Statutory Homelessness: 3rd Quarter 2006 - England

Published 11 December 2006

This release provides summary information, collected through the quarterly P1E returns, on local housing authorities' activities under homelessness legislation. This includes the number of households accepted, as owed the main homelessness duty (referred to as acceptances) during the quarter and the number of households in temporary accommodation on the last day of the quarter. The Notes to Editors section 'Definition of terms' provides more detail of terms used, as footnoted, within the release.

This release provides summary information, collected through the quarterly P1E returns, on local housing authorities' activities under homelessness legislation. This includes the number of households accepted, as owed the main homelessness duty (referred to as acceptances) during the quarter and the number of households in temporary accommodation on the last day of the quarter. The Notes to Editors section 'Definition of terms' provides more detail of terms used, as footnoted, within the release.

Download the tables from this release by clicking on the links below:

Key information from data collected for July - September 2006 show that:

Household acceptances

  • There were 19,390 acceptances, during the July - September quarter, 22 per cent lower than in the same period in 2005, and the lowest quarterly value since the early 1980s.
  • On a seasonally-adjusted basis,  there were 18,820 acceptances, 2 per cent lower than the previous quarter, and the lowest number since the adjusted series began.
  • The continued fall in the number of adjusted and unadjusted acceptances confirms the overall downward trend which started during 2003.

Chart 1

Households in temporary accommodation

  • 93,090 households were in temporary accommodation on 30 September 2006, 1 per cent lower than at the end of last quarter, and 8 per cent lower than this time last year.
  • We have now seen a downward trend over four quarters, which follows a period when numbers had been static at around 101,000. 
  • 86 per cent of households were in self-contained accommodation, 5 per cent in bed and breakfast hotels (the same number as last quarter, and 1,200 fewer than one year ago), and the remainder in other forms of shared-facility units.
  • 75 per cent of households in temporary accommodation included dependant children.  

Chart 2

Decisions taken by local authorities on homeless applications

During July to September, local authorities made 42,590 decisions on homeless applications. This is 24 per cent lower than the corresponding quarter in 2005. After seasonal adjustment the number of decisions was 41,370, 2 per cent lower when compared to the previous quarter. 
 

Chart 3

Decisions taken

Of the 42,590 applications made during the third quarter of 2006:

46 per cent of applicants were accepted, as owed the main homelessness duty;
28 per cent were found to be not homeless;
19 per cent were found to be homeless but not in priority need; and
7 per cent were found to be intentionally homeless and in priority need.   

Chart 4

Households accepted as owed a main homelessness duty (acceptances)

Between July and September, local authorities accepted 19,390 households as being owed the main homelessness duty (acceptances). This is 22 per cent lower when compared with the corresponding quarter last year. After seasonal adjustment the number of acceptances during the third quarter of 2006 was 18,820, 2 per cent lower than the previous quarter and the lowest seasonally adjusted quarterly total since the series started in 1997.

Acceptances by ethnicity and by region

Between July and September, 74 per cent of acceptances were from households classified as White, and 21 per cent from an ethnic minority group. The remainder were from households where the ethnic origin was not known. This breakdown has not changed significantly in recent years.

Compared to the population as a whole, where 8 per cent of households are from an ethnic minority group, there is a far higher incidence of acceptances amongst these groups than amongst the White population.

However, there is large variation in the ethnicity across the regions. In London, only 40 per cent of acceptances were white, while in the South West the proportion was 89 per cent. London had the highest percentage of acceptances from Black and Asian groups (30 and 11 per cent respectively) and also for other ethnic groups (13 per cent). The West Midlands had the next highest acceptances from Black and Asian groups (at 8 per cent for each group).

Chart 5

Acceptances by region per 1,000 households

Of all the regions, London had the highest incidence of acceptances per 1,000 households during the quarter, at 1.3, compared to 0.9 for England as a whole. The South East, at 0.5 per 1,000 households had the lowest.

Map 1

Acceptances by priority need category

Between July and September, in 55 per cent of acceptances the presence of dependent children in the household was the primary reason for priority need, and a further 11 per cent of households had priority need because they included a pregnant woman. Since 1997 the percentage of acceptances who were households that included dependent children or an expectant mother has ranged between 60 and 70 per cent.

Chart 6

Acceptances by reason for loss of last settled home

Between July and September, in 37 per cent of acceptances the reason for homelessness was because parents, relatives or friends (mostly parents) were no longer able, or willing, to accommodate them.

This proportion has gradually risen since 1997, when it applied in around 27 per cent of acceptances. In a further 20 per cent of acceptances during the third quarter the reason for homelessness was the breakdown of a relationship with a partner, with around two-thirds of these cases involving violence. In an additional 14 per cent the reason for homelessness was the ending of an assured shorthold tenancy. 

At 3 per cent, the proportion of acceptances where homelessness resulted from mortgage arrears was much lower than its peak level- 12 per cent during 1991.

Chart 7

Action taken in respect of acceptances

Of the 19,390 acceptances between July and September, 53 per cent were placed in some form of temporary accommodation, for a period of time. A further 33 per cent were recorded as "homeless at home"7 while awaiting the provision of alternative accommodation and 10 per cent were provided with settled accommodation, by being granted a secure tenancy in local authority accommodation or an "assured shorthold tenancy". The remaining 5 per cent either made their own arrangements or had no further contact with the authority, thus bringing the homelessness duty to an end.

Households in temporary accommodation

The number of households in temporary accommodation on 30 September 2006, arranged by local authorities under homelessness legislation was 93,090. This is 820 (1 per cent) lower than at the end of the previous quarter, and some 7,930 (8 per cent) lower than at 30 September 2005.

Of these 93,090 households, 18 per cent were being accommodated pending a decision on their application, or pending the outcome of an appeal to the county court on the authority's decision, or had been found intentionally homeless and in priority need and subsequently were being accommodated for such a period as would give them a reasonable opportunity to find accommodation for themselves.

86 per cent of households in temporary accommodation were in self-contained4 accommodation (either in Local Authority/Registered Social Landlord stock or within the private sector) and 14 per cent were in accommodation with shared facilities (bed and breakfast; hostels and women's refuges).

Households with children in temporary accommodation

Of the 93,090 households in temporary accommodation on 30 September, 69,500 (75 per cent) included dependent children and/or a pregnant woman.

Of these 69,500 households, 92 per cent were in self-contained accommodation. Only 1,100 (1.6 per cent) were in B&B accommodation and of these 115 had been resident for more than 6 weeks (a third of these housed under local authorities' discretionary powers).

Households in temporary accommodation, by type of accommodation

There is a wide range of accommodation used to provide temporary accommodation (TA) and most is self-contained (86 per cent).

Use of accommodation with shared facilities has been declining in recent years, through reduced bed and breakfast usage, with a rise in the provision of self-contained accommodation. In this respect there has been a significant increase in the short-term leasing of accommodation by local authorities or housing associations from private sector landlords.

Chart 8

On 30 September 2006:

59,560 households were in private sector accommodation (64 per cent of all households), most commonly in a property leased by the local authority or registered social landlord (RSL, or housing association), or in some cases let directly to the applicant as the tenant of a private sector landlord. This is a small increase compared with the end of June 2006, a decrease of 1 per cent over September 2005, but an increase of 31,180 (110 per cent) over September 2001.

20,180 households were in accommodation owned by social landlords (22 per cent of all households), 3 per cent lower than at the end of June 2006, a decrease of 19 per cent over September 2005, and a decrease of 22 per cent over September 2001. Of these 20,180 households, 74 per cent were in local authority owned stock, and 26 per cent in RSL owned property. 

8,460 households were in hostel accommodation and women's refuges (9 per cent of all households), 5 per cent lower than at the end of June 2006, a decrease of 16 per cent over September 2005, and 25 per cent lower than September 2001.

4,900 households were in bed and breakfast accommodation (5 per cent of all households), the same as at the end of June 2006, but 20 per cent lower than September 2005, and 60 per cent lower than in September 2001. Use of B&B peaked in June 1987, when 47 per cent (England) and 59 per cent (London) of households in temporary accommodation were in bed and breakfast.

In addition to the 93,090 households in temporary accommodation, there were 9,720 households accepted as owed a main duty and recorded as "Homeless at Home" on 30 September. This is 5 per cent lower than the equivalent figure for June 2006, 36 per cent lower than in September 2005, but 20 per cent higher than September 2001.

Households in temporary accommodation, by region

London had the highest number of households in temporary accommodation on 30 September, accounting for two thirds of the England total. The South East was the next highest, with 11 per cent of the England total. The North East, with only 1 per cent, had the lowest. Five regions show a reduction in the number of households in temporary accommodation compared to at the end of last quarter, with the South East showing the biggest drop. The remaining four regions had increases, the greatest being in London.

Map 2

England had a rate of 4.4 households in temporary accommodation per 1,000 households. Of the regions, London had the highest rate at 20 per 1,000. The South East had the next highest rate at 2.9 per 1,000 households.

London, South East and East of England are the regions that experience the highest demand for housing. The North East had the lowest rate at 0.6 per 1,000 households.

Households leaving temporary accommodation or no longer recorded as Homeless at Home

Between July and September, the main homelessness duty was ended for 17,840 households who had previously been in temporary accommodation or recorded as homeless at home. 11,790 (66 per cent) of these households were provided with settled accommodation, by being granted a secure tenancy in local authority or RSL accommodation, although a further 5 per cent refused such an offer. An additional 5 per cent accepted an offer of accommodation in the private sector. 17 per cent of households voluntarily left the temporary accommodation arranged by the local authority. The remaining 7 per cent of households ceased to be eligible, or became intentionally homeless from the temporary accommodation provided for them.

Length of time in arranged accommodation 

Of the 17,840 households who left temporary accommodation or were no longer recorded as homeless at home during the quarter, 60 per cent had been in temporary accommodation or homeless at home for less than six months. 14 per cent had been in temporary accommodation or homeless at home for more than two years.

Chart 9

Over recent years the percentage of households who spend 2 or more years in temporary accommodation or recorded as homeless at home has been increasing. In the third quarter of 2006, 39 per cent of households in London had previously spent 2 or more years in temporary accommodation or homeless at home, compared with 12 per cent in the same period in 2001. In the other regions where there is a higher demand for housing, there was also a bigger percentage increase in the number of households who had spent 2 or more years in temporary accommodation or homeless at home, than in the regions of low demand.

Chart 10

Notes to editors

DEFINITION OF TERMS
1. Acceptances: households found to be eligible for assistance, unintentionally homeless and falling within a priority need group, during the quarter (as defined by homelessness legislation (see paragraphs 8-10 below)), and consequently owed a main homelessness duty by a local housing authority.

2. Seasonal adjustment: the seasonally adjusted estimates have been produced using the X11-Arima model, in accordance with National Statistics practices, which have then been constrained so that they are consistent with the unadjusted financial year totals. The number of decisions and acceptances tends to be lower in the second quarter than in the first and third quarters, and will also be affected by seasonal holiday periods, especially Christmas and the New Year.

3. Temporary accommodation: households in temporary accommodation (excluding applicants who are recorded as "homeless at home") on the last day of the quarter, as arranged by a local housing authority as a discharge of their statutory homelessness functions. In most cases, the authority is discharging the main homelessness duty to secure suitable accommodation until a settled home becomes available for the applicant and his/her household. However, the numbers also include households provided with accommodation pending a decision on their homelessness application, households pending a review or appeal to the county court of the decision on their case, and households found to be intentionally homeless and in priority need who were being accommodated for such period as would give them a reasonable opportunity to find accommodation for themselves.

4. Self-contained accommodation: this includes all temporary accommodation where the household has sole use of kitchen and bathroom facilities, including property held by local housing authorities, registered social landlords and private sector landlords. A distinction is made between this type of accommodation and accommodation where such facilities are shared with other households (i.e. bed and breakfast, hostels and women's' refuges).

5. Decisions: these include only the decisions made by local housing authorities where the applicant has been found to be eligible for assistance and therefore excludes any households found to be ineligible (some persons from abroad are ineligible for assistance).

6. Priority need groups: include households with dependent children or a pregnant woman and people who are vulnerable in some way e.g. because of mental illness or physical disability. The priority need categories were extended by Order in July 2002 to include, additionally: applicants aged 16 or 17; applicants aged 18 to 20 who were previously in care; applicants vulnerable as a result of time spent in care, in custody, or in HM Forces, and applicants vulnerable as a result of having to flee their home because of violence or the threat of violence. It is not possible to establish precisely how much of the changed profile of acceptances is attributable to the Order. Previously, some local authorities would have accepted applicants who fall within the new categories as having a priority need because of "an other special reason". This applies in particular to applicants such as vulnerable young people, and people fleeing domestic violence. In the third quarter of 2006 the new priority need categories accounted for 12 per cent of homeless acceptances, the same as in the third quarter of 2005.

7. Homeless at home:  These are applicants who have been accepted as being owed a main homelessness duty and for whom arrangements have been made for them to remain in their existing accommodation for the immediate future. Prior to 2005Q2, figures were also collected on those potentially "homeless at home" but whose application was still under consideration pending a decision.  Both series are now presented in the final columns of Table 6.

 LEGISLATION
8. Part 7 of the Housing Act 1996 places statutory duties on local housing authorities to provide assistance to people who are homeless or threatened with homelessness. Authorities must consider all applications from people seeking accommodation or assistance in obtaining accommodation. A main homelessness duty (see below) is owed where the authority is satisfied that the applicant is eligible for assistance, unintentionally homeless and falls within a priority need group. The priority need groups are specified in the legislation, although paragraph 6 above provides a summary.

9. Where a main duty is owed, the authority must ensure that suitable accommodation is available for the applicant and his or her household until a settled home becomes available for them. Where households are found to be intentionally homeless or not in priority need, the authority must make an assessment of their housing needs, provide advice and assistance to help them find accommodation for themselves. Where the applicant is found to be intentionally homeless but falls in a priority need category the authority must also ensure that accommodation is available for long enough to give the applicant a reasonable opportunity to find a home.

SOURCE OF STATISTICS
10. The figures in this Statistical Release are based on quarterly returns completed by local authorities in England and estimates for non-respondent authorities. The latest quarter's figures are based on full or partial returns from 347 of 354 local authorities (98 per cent response). All but one London Borough provided a full or partial return. Statutory homelessness statistics are usually published on the first Monday following 51 working days after the end of the quarter. During this time all returns undergo thorough validation and cross-checking, and late returns are pursued to ensure overall response is as complete and accurate as possible, with a minimum target of 90 per cent. This process typically takes around six weeks, after which estimates for missing data are calculated.

11. This Statistical Release, as well as previous Releases, can be accessed and all text, tables and charts downloaded electronically, from the Department's website at: Publications on homelessness data

12. Further details are available from Alex Arulanandam, Communities and Local Government, Zone 3/H9, Eland House, Bressenden Place, London SW1E 5DU. Telephone 0303 444 2290. E-mail: homelessnessstats@communities.gov.uk

13. National Statistics are produced to high professional standards set out in the National Statistics Code of Practice. They undergo regular quality assurance reviews to ensure that they meet customer needs.

14. The publication date for the 4th Quarter (October - December) 2006 Statutory Homelessness Statistical Release is Monday 12 March 2007.

15. Communities and Local Government produces regular Policy Briefings on homelessness, which can be accessed from the website at: Homelessness policy briefings

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