Why reduce evictions and abandonment?

Reducing the level of unplanned moves from hostels in a local area has huge benefits, not just to improve the outcomes for people who are homeless, but also to improve the outcomes for the wider community.

Below is a summary of three key areas which underpin the rationale for making this a priority. It places addressing evictions and abandonment in the wider policy context and demonstrates the value of tackling this locally, both for providers and commissioners of accommodation services.

1. Preventing the cycle of homelessness

Reducing evictions and abandonment is a key part of preventing homelessness in your local area and providing an effective service to an individual:
 
Lower eviction and abandonment rates mean more sustainable local accommodation pathways.
If clients are staying engaged in their accommodation service, there will be more opportunities to help them stay engaged in their support and treatment plans. 
 
  • Disruptions and stresses in somebody’s housing situation can impact on them successfully completing drug treatment[1]
  • SP data found that 60 per cent of clients who had unplanned moves did not have their support needs around training and education met, compared to only 34 per cent of those clients who had a planned move. CHAIN data also shows higher rates of alcohol and drug needs among evictees[2].

Lower eviction rates will reduce the risks of clients ending up on the streets, sofa surfing or squatting in your local area.

  • Research suggests half of evictees and abandoners are subsequently seen rough sleeping[3]  
  • Evictees are particularly at risk from becoming ‘hidden homeless’ – eg sofa surfing- as they may be classed as intentionally homeless and therefore have fewer accommodation options.[4]
Lower eviction rates and fewer abandonments will be an indicator that hostels are engaging well with their clients and providing a Place of Change.
 
  • A ‘reduction in exclusions and abandonment amongst residents’ is one of the five indicators which make a hostel a Place of Change[5] . Since being introduced, the ethos and standards of PoC have lead to improved outcomes in homelessness provision and should be an aspiration for all services. 

2. Providing better value for money 

Preventing evictions will help achieve better outcomes for clients, so it can help reduce some of the costs associated with homelessness.
 
The 2010 Comprehensive Spending Review announced that central government funding to councils will decrease by 26% over the next four years. Total capital expenditure by local authorities will fall by 30% by 2014-15. Within this context of increased financial pressure, making savings to the public purse through preventative approaches makes clear financial sense. 
"Within increased financial pressure, making savings to the public purse through preventative approaches makes clear financial sense". 
  • Rough sleepers tend to use acute health services – which are more costly- at a disproportionate rate. They are five times more likely to present at A&E than the general population, and consume 8 times as many inpatient hospital services than the general population.[6]
  • Homeless people are more at risk of re-offending. Stable accommodation can reduce re-offending by 20%.[7]
Homeless people are often at more risk of coming into contact with the criminal justice system and being victims of crime, which have high associated costs. Within homelessness projects, lower eviction rates will reduce the costs of failed tenancies and having voids in properties. 
 

3. Meeting your local targets

Reducing the levels of evictions and abandonment will contribute to a number of local targets, including:

  • NI 141, ‘Percentage of vulnerable people achieving independent living’.
  • The target to end rough sleeping by 2012.
  • Supporting People Key Performance Indicator KPI2 which measures service users who have moved on from supported housing schemes funded by Supporting People in a planned way. 
  • Improved QAF scores around ensuring providing ‘fair exit and move on outcomes.’[8]
  • Local targets to prevent hidden homelessness. Many local councils are taking an increasingly pro-active approach to this target as part of their wider prevention agenda.[9]
The good news is that reducing evictions and abandonment does not have to have significant cost implications. The case studies included in this toolkit highlight how action can be taken within existing or minimal additional resources. Benefits and improvements can be seen by drawing on intelligence which is already collected, and by adapting existing practice and ways of working.
 
To look at how eviction and abandonment can best be tackled in your service or local area, see the Understanding the causes section of the toolkit.

[2] 6 in 10 evictees have drug problems, and 6 in 10 have alcohol problems according to CHAIN
[3] CHAIN data, Broadway.
[4] See ‘Filling in the picture: Homelessness in the North East’, Association of North East Councils, JUNE 2010 (HQN and Housing Vision),  and http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2008/sep/30/housing.youngpeople which highlights this is particular problem among younger people
[5] “Hostels Capital Improvement Programme (HCIP) Policy Briefing 12 (Sept 2005)” now referred to as the Places of Change Programme
[7] Social Exclusion Unit (2002) Reducing re-offending by ex prisoners, London: Social Exclusion Unit
[8] See standard C1.4.3
[9] See for example Dartford borough council