Resettlement Process

This section of the guidance is about resettling older people from homelessness into move-on accommodation.

The type of temporary housing for older people who have been homeless and unsettled is different across the regions depending on:

• housing supply,
• what type of temporary accommodation there is in the area
• whether sheltered schemes accept referrals from homelessness agencies.

In some areas older people are:

• long term in temporary hostel accommodation,
• living in poor quality Houses of Multiple Occupation
• living in privately run B&Bs
• in a private rented sector or social tenancy which is insecure because they lack the skills or the support to manage it.

Depending on which of the issues are relevant they will need addressing in different ways. This guidance mainly addresses the issue of older people who have been in hostels but is also of relevance to other groups.

Facilitating move-on from hostels or other temporary accommodation or precarious housing

Facilitating move-on from hostels or temporary accommodation has a number of distinct aspects. Once the authority has the information in place about the numbers of people needing move-on and their needs take a look at what is available in the area and how that matches up with need. Services may need to have increased capacity or develop new expertise or new services may need to be commissioned or in order to work successfully with the client group. 
This can be addressed at a number of levels:

• Establishing a culture in hostels that they are not a permanent home
• The operation of referrals to other housing options and support with Choice Based Lettings
• Additional support for older homeless people moving into sheltered or other independent accommodation
• Strategic recognition of gaps in services