Closed consultations and responses

Follow the links below to see links to Homeless Link’s recent consultation responses

Housing Benefit Reform: Supporting People into work. We published our response to this consultation in February 2010.  This consultation sets out the government's plans to progress reform of housing benefit. It proposes 'a simpler and fairer system of housing support which supports work incentives, excludes the highest rents...and pays a fair rate of benefit to customers.' One of the measures proposed is a 'Transition into Work Payment' which could provide extra housing benefit, at the out of work rate, for people moving into work. Read our two-page summary of the consultation here. Our response sets out the conditions we believe are needed to support homeless people in obtaining and sustaining both housing and employment.

London Health Inequalities Strategy - In January 2010 we published our response to the Mayor's Health Inequalities Strategy. Health remains an area where life-chances for people who have experienced homelessness still lag far behind those who have not. It is in this context that we welcome the London Health Inequalities Strategy as extremely timely and strongly endorse the Mayor’s commitment to prioritise the health needs of society's most marginalised individuals. We have structured our comments around three main themes in the strategy - empowerment; improved access; and joined-up delivery.  

Shaping the Future of Care Together -  Our specific interest in responding to this consultation is in raising issues around the older homeless client group. Evidence from the Older People's Audit developed by the Coalition of Older Homelessness shows that some older homeless people stay in hostels for even ten or twenty years. Hostels are designed for temporary accommodation and are not suitable for people to grow old in. Our paper calls for a care system which works for everybody and takes into account those people on the margins. Read our response to the Shaping the Future of Care consultation  for further details.

Fair Access to Care  -  This important document guides local authorities on changes they should be making to their approach to commissioning services and assessing individual need. This summary of the FACS consultation gives background to this debate and how it affects homeless people. You can also read our response to the FACS consultation which closed in October 2009.

New Horizons  - Homeless Link has responded to the Department of Health's  new mental health strategy New Horizons. It aims to 'promote good mental health and well-being, whilst improving services for people who have mental health problems'. The consultation closed on 15th October 2009 and you can download our response to New Horizons here.

Call 4 Evidence - Homeless Link responded to St Mungos Call 4 Evidence on Mental Health. St Mungos asked for views about homelessness and mental health which will help inform a report due for publication this Autumn. We submitted our recent Mental Health Policy briefing as part of our feedback to this consultation.

Reducing Reoffending in London - Homeless Link has written to the National Offender Management Service in response to the Reducing Re-offending in London 2009-11, which outlines the proposed priorities for the delivery of prison and probation services in the capital and the joint working to reduce reoffending.

The Social Fund - Homeless Link has responded to the Department for Work and Pensions on the reform of the Social Fund.

VAT - Homeless Link has written to Stephen Timms MP on the withdrawal of VAT concessionary arrangements for supplies of temporary workers - the issue could have large staffing cost implications for homelessness agencies. See the response we received from HM Revenue and Customs.

Social Care and Support - The UK Coalition on Older Homelessness, based at Homeless Link, has responded to the national debate on the future of social care and support.

The Future of Supporting People - Jenny Edwards, Homeless Link Chief Executive, has written to Communities and Local Government about the future of Supporting People. Jenny sits on the Supporting People Sounding Board, which has been consulted on this issue.

Welfare Reform Green Paper - Homeless Link has responded to the Welfare Reform Green Paper No one written off: reforming welfare to reward responsibility. Our response includes a map of the services that homeless people need to help them on their journey to employment and outlines three key things that DWP must consider as they implement their welfare reforms. Earlier, we produced an overview of the Green Paper for the National Advisory Council and Homeless Link members.

Comprehensive Area Assessment Consultation - Homeless Link have responded to the Audit Commission second consultation on Comprehensive Area Assessment.

Empowerment Fund - Homeless Link has responded to the Communities and Local Government consultation on the Empowerment Fund.

Internal Review of Housing Benefit - Homeless Link has written to Stephen Timms MP on the internal review of housing benefit currently being undertaken by the Department for Work and Pensions.

Consumer Focus - Homeless Link has responded to the Consumer Focus - Forward Work Programme, highlighting how the new organisation can help protect the consumer rights of people experiencing homelessness.

Glover Review - Homeless Link has responded to the Glover Review into the Role of SMEs in Public Procurement, highlighting the issues faced by homelessness agencies.

Rough Sleeping Discussion paper - Homeless Link has responded to Communities and Local Government's discussion paper on an updated rough sleeping strategy.

Human Rights in Britain - Homeless Link has responded to the Equalities and Human Rights Commission's call for evidence around their forthcoming inquiry into the state of human rights in Britain.

Informal adult learning: shaping the way ahead - Homeless Link response to Dept for Universities, Innovation and Skills consultation highlights the positive outcomes of meaningful activity in the homelessness sector as a form of informal learning.

Proposed changes to housing benefit backdating - Homeless Link has written to the Social Security Advisory Committee outlining its concerns around proposed changes to housing benefit backdating.

Focussing English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) on Community Cohesion - Homeless Link response to Dept for Universities, Innovation and Skills consultation highlights the needs of Central and Eastern Europeans, and homeless refugees and asylum seekers.

Drugs: Our community, your say - Homeless Link response to Home Office consultation on drugs strategy.

A possible ESRC research programme?  - New report published on developing priorities for future research into 'multiple exclusion homelessness' summarises the feedback from service providers, government departments and people with experience of homelessness on what the focus of future research should be.

Department of Health: Care Programme Approach - Homeless Link response to DH consultation on Care Programme Approach.

Comprehensive Spending Review 2007 - Find out about Homeless Link's research findings and submission around the Comprehensive Spending Review.

Homeless Link responds to the consultation on of the future role of the third sector in social and economic regeneration - Homeless Link has responded to The Charity and Third Sector Finance Unit's review of the future role of the third sector in social and economic regeneration. Read our response to the third sector review.

Homeless Link submits a response to Tackling homelessness consultation - Homeless Link has submitted its response to the Housing Corporation's consultation Tackling Homelessness.

Homeless Link and OSW submit joint response to welfare reform consultation - Following a consultation with members, Homeless Link and Off the Streets and into Work have provided a joint response to the Department for Work and Pensions' consultation on the welfare reform green paper.

Response to the government's Supporting People strategy consultation - Homeless Link has now responded to the consultation.