This report investigates the challenges faced by individuals attempting to transition out of homelessness into the private rented sector (PRS) in the UK. The report highlights the critical shortage of affordable rental properties and the significant rise in rental prices, which have severely limited the move-on options for homeless individuals. The research focuses on the experiences of homeless service providers and their clients, particularly in London, where the crisis is most acute. It examines the specific barriers faced by various groups, including young people, refugees, and those on benefits subject to the shared accommodation rate. The findings reveal that the PRS, once a viable route out of homelessness, has become increasingly inaccessible, with many individuals trapped in a cycle of temporary or substandard accommodation. The report concludes with a series of recommendations aimed at improving access to the PRS for homeless individuals, including policy changes, increased support for tenants, and enhanced regulation of the rental market.
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- Pages
- 68
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- United Kingdom
Table of Contents
- How a lack of availability and rising prices in the private rented sector impact move-on options for people experiencing homelessness 1
- Becky Rice August 2024 1
- Foreword 4 3
- Executive summary 5 3
- Introduction 11 3
- Background 15 3
- The role of the PRS for homelessness services 22 3
- Challenges in accessing the PRS 26 3
- The reality of accessing PRS 31 3
- Supporting access to the PRS 37 3
- The impact of the current landscape 43 3
- Exploring the picture outside London 48 3
- The future 54 3
- Conclusions 58 3
- Recommendations 61 3
- End notes 65 3
- For possibly the first time we are reaching a consensus that the private rented sector PRS is in turmoil and now in need of repair. 4
- 1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 5
- Introduction 6
- Background 6
- The role of the PRS 6
- Accessing PRS housing 7
- Supporting access to the PRS 8
- The impact of the current landscape 8
- Comparing and contrasting with selected areas outside London 8
- The future 9
- Recommendations 9
- Recommendations for MHCLG 10
- Recommendations for metro mayors and local authorities 10
- Recommendations for homelessness organisations 10
- 2. INTRODUCTION 11
- Methodology 13
- Table 1 Organisations represented in the sample 14
- 3. BACKGROUND 15
- This chapter presents the findings of a desktop review of data and literature around PRS access for people experiencing homelessness and the experiences of the services working in this field. 16
- The wider PRS market 16
- Falling supply 16
- Rising prices 16
- The PRS market for low-income households and people on benefits 16
- Falling supply of low-cost PRS 17
- Exempt accommodation 18
- Standards and regulation in the PRS 18
- Incentivising landlords 19
- PRS as move-on from homelessness 20
- Refugee homelessness and PRS access 20
- End of PRS tenancies as a growing cause of homelessness 21
- The impact of a lack of PRS available to people moving on from homelessness 21
- Legislative changes from Renters Reform to Renters Rights 21
- 4. THE ROLE OF THE PRS FOR HOMELESSNESS SERVICES 22
- This chapter explores the importance of the PRS for homelessness services and the increased difficulties for clients accessing it over the last couple of years. 23
- Increasing reliance on the PRS 23
- A more diverse client group 24
- Harder to access 24
- 5. CHALLENGES IN ACCESSING THE PRS 26
- Discrimination and stigma 27
- People under 35 and subject to the shared accommodation rate 27
- People recently granted asylum 28
- People in work or looking for work 29
- People subject to the benefit cap 30
- People with higher support needs 30
- 6. THE REALITY OF ACCESSING PRS 31
- Expectations 32
- Finding and viewing a property 32
- Accommodation standards 33
- Incentive payment to landlords 34
- Unethical and illegal practices 35
- Accountability gap between landlords and potential renters 36
- 7. SUPPORTING ACCESS TO THE PRS 37
- A range of support 38
- Example projects 39
- Example 1 Housing Justice Night Shelter Lettings Network 39
- Example 2 Two Step part of HOPE 39
- Example 3 SHPS to Single Homeless Prevention Service SHPS provided by Bridges Outcomes Partnership 40
- Example 4 The Passage PRS Access Team 40
- Key principles and approaches 41
- Education awareness and managing expectations 41
- Targeting people who can afford and manage a tenancy 41
- Skilling people up 41
- Pulling in local resources for those with support needs 41
- Flexible approaches 41
- Being quick and responsive 42
- Providing practical and financial help for clients 42
- Landlord relationships 42
- 8. THE IMPACT OF THE CURRENT LANDSCAPE 43
- This chapter outlines some impact of the current context on people experiencing homelessness and the organisations supporting them. 44
- PRS access costs more public and charitable money 44
- Resources are not targeted effectively 44
- People experience homelessness for longer 45
- Retraumatising experiences 45
- Weaker PRS outcomes 46
- Good PRS outcomes 47
- 9. EXPLORING THE PICTURE OUTSIDE LONDON 48
- This chapter summarises findings from interviews with organisations who provide support to people seeking to access the PRS outside London. 49
- Access to the PRS 49
- Affordability 50
- Shifting markets 50
- Challenges for different groups 50
- Supporting PRS access 51
- Example 5 St Basils Live Work 52
- Impact of the current PRS market on move-on from homelessness 53
- 10. THE FUTURE 54
- A precarious picture 55
- Changes to LHA rates 55
- Landlord caution 56
- Outside London 56
- 11. CONCLUSIONS 58
- Context 59
- The role of the PRS 59
- Accessing PRS 59
- Supporting access to the PRS 60
- The impact of the current picture 60
- The future 60
- 12. 61
- The new government recommendations for a bold new approach to tackling injustice in the PRS 62
- Central government recommendations for specific departments 62
- Ministry for Housing Communities and Local Government 62
- Department for Work and Pensions 63
- Home Office and MHCLG 63
- Regional government 63
- Metro mayors in combined authorities 63
- Local authorities 64
- Homelessness organisations 64
- All partners 64
