HOMELESSNESS
OUT ONTO THE STREETS
We all know that the causes of homelessness are complex , and affect different groups in different ways .
At The Forward Trust , we do a lot of our work in prisons . Through this , we see how short periods of imprisonment contribute significant numbers to the overall totals of people becoming and remaining homeless . For example , in London , an estimated 30 per cent of all rough sleepers have spent some time in prison .
Ours is not the most fashionable cause . When most people think of prisoners , they have a picture of dangerous violent criminals who the rest of us need to be protected from . There are some of these , and where they have committed serious offences , they are rightly given long prison sentences . However , the majority of the 140,000 people who pass through our prisons each year are serving short sentences for relatively minor offences – for example theft , drug offences , non-payment of fines . This proportion is particularly high among women prisoners .
We cannot forget or condone the offences people have committed , and often the courts impose a prison sentence as a last resort in response to repeated offending , but these people are not the monsters of popular imagination . They are people who are struggling in life – with poverty , alienation , addiction and
Released prisoners are a significant – and often forgotten – driver of homelessness , says Mike Trace
mental health problems . All too often , their behaviour is rooted in difficult childhoods involving abuse , neglect and trauma . All too often custodial sentences are applied because of the lack of community provision available to judges at sentencing .
Seen through this lens , a short period of imprisonment rarely acts a deterrent , doesn ’ t allow any positive rehabilitation efforts , and actually adds to the causes of the offending by increasing the prisoner ’ s isolation from friends and family , jobs , and accommodation .
Looking at accommodation specifically , many short-sentence prisoners lose whatever stable accommodation they had on entry into prison . This can be as a result of relationship break down , or cancellation of tenancies due to non-compliance or nonpayment of rent ( of course , once in prison tenants can no longer earn money or receive benefits to continue rent payments ).
Whether already homeless or newly homeless as a result of imprisonment , most released prisoners ( 52 per cent ) do not have settled accommodation to return to on the day of their release . Furthermore , there ’ s little they can do in this situation to find a roof over their head – the discharge grant of £ 76 does not cover accommodation costs , and universal credit payments don ’ t kick in for between five and nine weeks after release . The most common options are to find a homeless hostel , or stay with friends – both options that
When most people think of prisoners , they have a picture of dangerous violent criminals ... However , the majority of the 140,000 people who pass through our prisons each year are serving short sentences for relatively minor offences .
can leave people at risk of being victims , or perpetrators , of crime .
There are housing and homelessness services targeted at released prisoners , and the government has increased funds in recent years to the prison and probation services to reduce the numbers of prisoners released without accommodation . The main government initiative is the Community Accommodation Scheme , which last year offered 12 weeks accommodation to 2,300 released prisoners – in hostels and shared houses .
There are also housing advice and placement services for prisoners , provided through the probation service . However , if we are to make a real dent in the tens of thousands of released prisoners becoming homeless every year , we need to provide them with access to the private rental market . Forward Trust does this through our ‘ Vision Housing ’ scheme .
Currently small scale , and limited to specific areas of South London and Surrey , Vision Housing is an example of a ‘ Housing First ’ approach – provide those who need housing with a place to live , and work with them to address any problems that threaten their continued tenancy . It ’ s much easier to provide support around addiction , mental health and relationships when someone has a safe and comfortable place to sleep each night .
Our Vision Housing teamwork with private landlords who would not normally think of letting their properties to a prisoner . We de-risk it for them – working with the prisoner to prepare them for the responsibilities of being a tenant , and providing support and mentoring throughout the tenancy to avert or respond to any problems that may arise . Despite the many challenges facing our Vision Housing clients , they ’ ve achieved a 90 per cent tenancy sustainment rate at six months , and 77 per cent at 12 months .
A recent study by the prison inspectorate revealed that twothirds of people without settled accommodation on release were later returned to custody , while around one-third of those with settled accommodation were not . Efforts to get released prisoners into secure accommodation on the day of release therefore make sense for their rehabilitation , and for reducing crime rates .
Ending homelessness will not always be easy and difficult decisions lie ahead , but we know that there are practical ways to stop the routes to homelessness . That ’ s why what happens after prison is key to long term solutions .
Mike Trace is CEO at the Forward Trust
22 • DRINK AND DRUGS NEWS • MAY 2024 WWW . DRINKANDDRUGSNEWS . COM