Preventing Homelessness: New duties and best practice

The appointment of a dedicated Housing Minister, Paul McLennan MSP, is welcome news for the sector. The Minister will have a tough job however, given recent budget cuts to the affordable supply programme, a homelessness and refugee crisis and thousands of children in temporary accommodation.   

With a housing bill on the horizon and a focus on preventing homelessness from happening in the first place, in proposals for Duties on Public Bodies to ‘Ask and Act’ to prevent homelessness, we need to start thinking about what this means for the sector. Housing associations, as public service providers, already do much to support people to make a success of their homes and there are countless examples of the positive work they do to support people who may be at risk of becoming homeless.  Under the proposals, it is likely that health, social care children’s services and other public bodies will have a legal duty to ask and act to prevent homelessness and there will be new protections for survivors of domestic abuse.  

SFHA in partnership with Homeless Network Scotland has organised a learning event to consider the proposals and the implications for housing associations and third sector bodies. Please come along and hear from some great speakers and practical examples to help us think about what else we all might be able to do to prevent homelessness. 

For more information and to register, please see: www.sfha.co.uk/whats-on/event-details/preventing-homelessness-in-the-community