Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy 2022-2027
Strategic context
The focus of the Act is on prevention and places a duty on local authorities to intervene early and attempt to prevent homelessness. Where homelessness cannot be prevented, a new duty requires local authorities to relieve homelessness. This means that the local authority must help an individual find suitable accommodation with at least a six-month tenancy.
Gateshead's strategic approach is set out in 'Making Gateshead a place where everyone thrives'. The strategy acknowledges that over 50% of people and families in Gateshead are either managing or just coping and over 30% are in need or in vulnerable situations. The role of the Council will increasingly become that of a facilitator, partner and co-producer, working to ensure that prevention and early intervention strategies reduce the level of demand and dependency on critical services, and the need for intensive, high-cost specialist interventions. Within this strategy, the Council has pledged to put people and families at the heart of everything we do and to tackle inequality, so people have a fair chance.
Our Health and Wellbeing Strategy 'Good jobs, homes, health and friends' also aims to reduce inequalities and improve health and wellbeing for people living in our communities. A key aim of the strategy is to strengthen the role and impact of ill-health prevention. This includes a priority action to prevent homelessness and better understand its root causes and how we address them.
Gateshead is participating in the delivery of the Changing Futures programme over the next three years, aiming to improve outcomes for people experiencing multiple disadvantage, including homelessness. The learning from Changing Futures will inform the ongoing development and delivery of this strategy. The Council is also committed to reviewing its own Allocations Policy and lettings processes, and is looking to secure agreement with partner registered providers on a new Tenancy Strategy for Gateshead. These actions will further support this strategy.
A Gateshead Homelessness Charter has also been produced. The purpose of the charter is for health and other public sector bodies, charities, faith groups, businesses and other organisations to adopt the charter's values and pledges and to implement it through improved working practices.