Overcoming reluctance to house alcohol drinkers

PWLE (People With Lived Experience) of being homeless whilst drinking alcohol heavily have contributed to this guide through semi-structured interviews and focus groups. They often found accessing suitable accommodation (whilst they were still drinking) to be a frustrating experience. This is articulated in the following quote:

This experience reflects the fact that many accommodation providers are reluctant to house people who are drinking heavily. The common barriers to housing individuals drinking at harmful or hazardous levels include:

• A perception that their support needs will be too high
• A perception they will be unreliable
• A lack of confidence from providers in their ability to manage the associated risks
• Challenges in negotiating with stakeholders (e.g. neighbours and local businesses)
• Performance and monitoring requirements of supported accommodation often being incompatible with the lives of people who are drinking heavily
• Challenges in developing and maintaining inter-agency relationships which can flex and adapt to the changing requirements of people with complex needs
• A perception that only people who have existing capacity and motivation to stop drinking are ready to be housed (i.e. only people who are ready, willing and able can be helped)
• Limited access to information and advice on accommodating people drinking heavily

People’s support needs are often easier to meet when they become active participants in their own support and a team of support is built around them. The approach needed is articulated well in this quote from a team leader of a homelessness service:

“We have to put the individual at the centre of their support, we have to ask them to consider what will help sustain them in accommodation. A multi-agency response is key to being able to meet people’s requirements. We encourage people to work with a team of professionals. We ask them to understand that we won’t be able to meet all their needs by ourselves”

No individual service or professional should hold the full responsibility for meeting someone’s support needs.

In order to progress from homelessness to independent living, people with alcohol problems often need a period of sustained support with issues such as (but not limited to):

• Mental ill health
• Coping with difficulties and changes in their lives
• Practical assistance with benefits and bills
• Building a support network

Staff working in homelessness accommodation services should have an honest discussion with individual residents and negotiate which aspects of tenancy management they may need extra support with. The individual’s support plan should identify ways to minimise the impact of alcohol use on their ability to sustain a tenancy.

• In some services residents pay a ‘top-up’ in addition to the rent covered by Housing Benefit. This often covers the costs of the food and fuel they use whilst on the premises. NDAP’s (Norfolk Drug and Alcohol Partnership) guide to housing alcohol and drug users8 recommends providing assertive support to ensure rent and/or top-up payments are made. This assertive support may include “attending post office payment days” with them, thus reducing the risk of them being able to spend that money on alcohol.
• See guidance on setting up a service for practical tips about other behaviours which impact on tenancy sustainment ADD LINK TO OTHER PAGE HERE

Some of these measures may feel somewhat over-protective, infringing on people’s rights and taking away their independence. It is important that any measures taken are subject to ongoing negotiations with the individual. Support provided to the individual should be practical and based on their needs ‘in the here and now’. It is important to remember both staff and residents are working towards an immediate goal of avoiding eviction. If an individual has lost accommodation through rent arrears in the recent past, they will often recognise measures need to be put in place to prevent this cycle from re-occurring.

Detailed guidance on how to handle intoxication, in a way which minimises potential incidents of violence and aggression, is provided in the guidance on setting up a service. ADD LINK TO OTHER PAGE HERE

The service should negotiate with individuals what is considered reasonable and respectful behaviour. This should be agreed as early as possible upon an individual taking residence and at a time when they are not intoxicated. In well managed projects incidents of violence and aggression are kept to an absolute minimum.

Well-managed services are well prepared for such incidents should they occur. Staff shouldn’t be expected to put themselves at risk or handle incidents of violence or aggression by themselves. Services should establish and maintain strong working relationships with the local police and police community support officers.