Priorities
We do not underestimate the task of preventing and alleviating homelessness. Our Strategy and Action Plans are large and cover a wide range of activity.
To help make the job more manageable we have identified certain priorities.
Supply of accommodation
- to reduce the time it takes to occupy permanent accommodation (irrespective of landlord);
- to increase the supply of temporary accommodation;
- to continue to support existing initiatives to increase the provision of temporary accommodation (existing initiatives are: Young Single Persons’ Housing Project, Aberdeen Families Project, Furnishing of Temporary Tenancies);
Prevention
- to reduce the number of people affected by homelessness by increasing the availability of mediation services to reduce family breakdown;
- to reduce the number of households which present as homeless more than once by: the use of Scottish Short Secure Tenancies; the provision of employability schemes; and providing direct advice and assistance in the prison;
- to increase the supply of furnished accommodation;
Intervention
- to provide support around the presenting issues;
- to provide further assistance in completing and maintaining Housing Benefit payments;
- to review the implementation mechanism for joint working;
- to continue to support intervention initiatives (existing initiatives are: Strategy Co‑ordination, Training Fund, Tenancy Support Posts, Food recycling (FareShare), Monitoring software, Health Network);
- to continue to support existing initiatives to increase the provision of information and advice (existing initiatives are: Information and Advice, Leaving Home and Housing Education Programme, Community Health Services, Opportunity Gateway, Move on, Advice and Resettlement Support, Begging and Drugs, Advice and Information Delivery).
