There are as many causes of homelessness as there are homeless
people. Sometimes it's debt, sometimes a fractured childhood
spent in care, often a broken relationship. It can be a mental
health issue, it might even be addiction.
Homeless people don't only sleep rough—they live in hostels
or in bedsits; they sleep on friends' floors or sofas; they
sleep in cars and sheds.
Homeless people do have some things in common though—they
have nowhere permanent to live and they have very few options.
The Private Rented Sector can provide a wide range of accommodation
but landlords with suitable properties, quite rightly, ask for
deposits and, sometimes, rent in advance. Generally, homeless
people can't meet these requirements and so often fall victim
to the unscrupulous or have no choice but to sleep rough.
Glasgow Rent Deposit & Support Scheme exists to bridge a
gap.The gap lies between people who are, or who are about to
become, homeless and landlords who have high quality accommodation
for rent.
Section
11 pilot project Prevention of homelessnesss
Section 11 of the Homelessness etc (Scotland) Act 2003 (asp
10) requires all Registered Social Landlords (RSLs), private
sector landlords and mortgage lenders to give notice of new
eviction and repossession proceedings to the local authority.1
This section is not yet in force but in the South West of Glasgow
Money Matters is
participating in a pilot to help combat homelessness.
The local Social Work Team has developed an information pack
which is automatically sent to those at risk of homelessness.
The information pack provides practical information and advises
that benefit and money advice services are available free of
charge from Money Matters Money
Advice Centre and free legal representation to
prevent homelessness is available from Govan Law Centre .
Cross referrals between Govan Money Matters and Govan
Law Centre and result in clients receiving a comprehensive
and high quality legal and money advice service.
This pilot is adopting a proactive early intervention approach
to preventing homelessness. The aims of the project are to secure
the following gains:
• Prevent homelessness (and repeat homelessness) in the
South West of Glasgow
• Target and deliver local services to those who need
them most
• Maximise client income where possible
• Enable clients to meet their financial responsibilities
through legal and money advice services
• Contribute to sustainable and balanced communities
• Reduce public expenditure - by preventing homelessness,
savings would be made to social work and housing budgets; expected
saving would be made to health costs (particularly mental health
expenditure).
