homelessness and discrimination PDF

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LECTURE 5 - HOMELESSNESS What is homelessness? (discussion (stereotypes)  Unemployed  Rooflessness  Drugs  Alcohol  Difficult decisions/situations  Its hard to distinguish who is homeless and who isn't  Deserve and undeserved  Fraudulent attempts to take money (lying that they're homeless to get money)  Some people are trafficked into begging

CRISIS In its broadest sense, homelessness is the problem faced by people who lack a place to live that is supportive, affordable, decent and secure:  ''homelessness is about more than rooflessness. A home is not just a physical space, it also has a legal and social dimension. A home provides roots, identity, a sense of belonging and a place of emotional wellbeing. Homelessness is about the loss of all of these''  ''A household is homeless if they do not have accommodation which they have a legal right to occupy, (already discriminating against certain types of people- migrants? Do they have a legal right to occupy?) which is accessible and physically available for their household and which it would be reasonable for them to continue to live in'' (Department of Communities and Local Governments, 2016) (documents, legal contract)

EXTENT OF HOMELESSNESS     

16,000 homeless households in the UK Rough sleepers up 51% in last 2 years -England increase 21% in last 12 months (outside of London 3%) Figures difficult to monitor Statutory homeless- includes 'priority need' (local authority has duty to find them somewhere to live) Hidden homelessness- staying with family, friends, squats, sofa suffers-difficult to measure -at some stage more likely to have slept rough

HOMELESS FAMILIES     

Homeless families in bed and breakfast accomodation between 2010-2015 increased by 300% 49,000 families in temp accomodation in England in 2015, up 25% in 5 years Includes 93,000 children Crisis estimates 59,000 in 2017 Nearly half families in temporary accomodation are single-parents

HOMELESSNESS  

Often we associate homelessness with 'rough sleepers' or street homeless Emergency and temporary accomodation

HOMELESNESS CRISIS

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Core homelessness -rough sleeping -sleeping in tents, cars, public, transport -squatting -unsuitable non-residential accomodation (sheds) -hostel residents -night/winter shelter residents -DV survivors/victims in Refuge -unsuitable temporary accomodation -sofa surfing -rough sleepers have gone up to about 8,000

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Wider homelessness -staying with friends/relatives longer term -eviction/ under notice to leave -asked to leave by parents/relatives -intermediate accomodation and receiving support -Other temp accomodation -discharge from prison, hospital or other state institution

Giddens (2009)  

One of the most extreme forms of exclusion from society Shutting out many of the day to day activities that are taken for granted by others: -going to work -keeping a bank account

-entertaining friends -getting post

INDIVIDUAL CAUSES OF HOMELESSNESS Men;   

Relationship breakdown Substance misuse Leaving an institution

Women;  Physical or mental health problem  Domestic/interpersonal violence

STRUCURAL CAUSES OF HOMELESSNESS   

High levels of poverty, unemployment or worklessness The way benefit system operates A lack of affordable housing, or the way social housing is rationed

CAUSES OF HOMELESSNESS       

Family disruptions, such as parents being homeless, in temporary accomodation or moving frequently Household friction, disputes with parents or step-parents Family living in poverty Being in care- 20% of homeless people were previously in care Not doing well at school Physical, sexual or emotional abuse- 45% End of Assured Shorthold Tenancies (AST)-a system whereby people were guaranteed they could stay in their homes when they were renting (fixed term contract nowadays)

BUT HOW BIG IS THE PROBLEM OF HOMELESSNESS? Young people:

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2006-7=1999 75,000 homeless young people according to JFR 2008 report 2015-16=estimated 83,000 16-24 year olds according to Cambridge University study (Clarke et al, 2015)

HOMELESSNESS IN LATER LIFE        

Few studies focus on older people becoming homeless The age before retirement- 50-59 years- mental disorders, health problems, can't get to work or not eligible for welfare services of retirement age Personal troubles-accomodation sold, needed repair, rent arrears, death of a close relative Relationship breakdown or dispute with fellow tenants Mental health problems Drug and substance use, misuse and abuse History of institutionalisation: leaving prison, mental health facilities, armed services Gambling problems (Crane et al, 2005)

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General image i am getting is that homelessness is increasing year on year

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If the population increases- the housing should increase

LEGISLATION -Homelessness Act 2002 -The Homelessness (Priority Need for Accomodation) Order 2002 -Localism Act 2011 (FTTS) -Housing and Planning Act 2016-enabled the tenancies between 2-10 years -Homelessness Reduction Act 2017- not in force yet= requires LA's to help all eligible applicants, rather than just those with priority need, requires public authorities to notify the housing authority if someone they work with is facing homelessness, 56 days to help those threatened with homelessness, help all those who are homeless, regardless of intention, they also homed people who had been V's of floods, fires etc (really? Hmm?) Grenfell Tower Fire- the survivors were with homes, 6 months on

EXPERIENCES OF HOMELESSNESS   

Eviction-BBC London News- https://www.youtube.com/watch? Overcrowding in London- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMuzulhl1oo Homeless and working full time- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BK-pGA19bAs

THEORIES OF HOMELESSNESS STRUCTURE V AGENCY  Link to Moral Underclass (Levitas)  Public housing tenants v homeless people (Taket et al) -links to crime, substance use and teenage pregnancy -consider blame and stigma -societal norms and values view them as deviant -individualistic approach: they are the problem rather than the victim of structural inequalities  Labelling theory= those seen as less deserving channelled into lower quality housing  Concepts of social and cultural capital...