Building blocks’ in place to prevent homelessness and cut housing waitlist in Peterborough

A recently published corporate performance report revealed that the council’s success rate of homelessness prevention declined for four consecutive quarters in the last financial year.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service sat down with members of the city council’s housing team to discuss homelessness, how the housing register works and why early prevention is key to improve the overall picture.

Prioritising the vulnerable

There are currently 2,832 applicants on the council’s housing register waiting for a home, with most facing a wait of several years. This figure is up from 2,780 in September last year.

Applicants are placed into a banding system, with Band One receiving the highest priority, followed by Band Two and then Band Three. One of the council’s main focuses is to prioritise those that are most in need.

Matt Oliver, head of housing needs at the council, said: “There’s quite a spread of different households on the housing register.

“Fifty per cent of the households on the register are in the lowest band, so they will have a housing need of some sort. We’re starting by prioritising and focusing on the most vulnerable households.”

Jacqui Harvey, head of environmental health, licensing and trading standards, pointed out that being on the housing register was not the same as being homeless or at risk of losing a home.

“When Matt talks about that big chunk of people [50 per cent of the register], that’s people that are living in safe, suitable accommodation, but would like to live in cheaper or more affordable accommodation,” she said.

“Lots of people will put themselves on the register in the hope that we will build loads of council houses or there will be a load of stock that comes through.”

She added: “If you say ‘housing need’, members of the public would read that as ‘urgent need’. But actually the most urgent are the priority ones at the top of the register and they are the ones that are most vulnerable. Sometimes that understanding is quite important.”

If somebody is homeless or being threatened with homelessness, they can get advice from the council and told if they’re eligible for help.

Latest figures show that 55 per cent of people who approach the council are owed a prevention duty, meaning the authority can assist them to not become homeless. This is compared to 39 per cent for the east of England.

Improvements being made

The council says there are positive figures coming through this year and prevention work is taking place that should bring improvements in the near future.

One encouraging figure is that the number of households in temporary accommodation, including those being placed in B&Bs, is down by 68 per cent (82 households).

In total, 140 children have been removed from temporary accommodation and are now in more stable homes since December.

Additionally, a council partnership with Cross Keys Homes pledged the delivery of 1,250 affordable homes between 2023 and 2028, equivalent to 250 homes per year. This target is being overachieved with 1,278 affordable homes already built since 2023.

Mr Oliver said: “We’ve just seen all the Great Haddon development coming on and a lot of that came back through the housing register.

“We’ve got to put the building blocks in place and that’s what we’re doing for years to come as we’re on track with the affordable homes delivery.”

Peterborough has 175 properties that have been vacant for over two years, and the council assures that efforts are ongoing to reuse them.

In the past year, 813 properties which were empty for six months or more came back into use both through direct action and natural means.

In terms of support, 20 community hubs are available across the city which provide help and advice to families at risk of homelessness.

The Off the Streets Accommodation scheme on Eastfield Road, which the council launched in April, offers people sleeping rough the chance to take their first steps away from the streets and into accommodation.

The properties can help up to 17 people with multiple and complex needs, for whom other temporary solutions such as hotels and B&Bs may be unsuitable.

Prevention is key

The council’s housing team aims to help individuals and families avoid homelessness and rough sleeping.

With a focus on prevention, they offer support and information through the Housing Jigsaw portal and by phone, providing advice and exploring alternative accommodation options.

They also have a team dedicated to working with rough sleepers, seeking to break the cycle of habitual rough sleeping and support individuals into sustainable accommodation.

Councillor Alison Jones, cabinet member for housing and communities, said: “The work that has gone on in the housing team and the changes within the structure and the service that’s offered has just been awesome.

“It’s switched that whole emphasis around from being reactive and it’s now being more preventative.”

Mr Oliver added: “The earlier we know about your housing risk and homelessness, the more that we can do in the period of time that we’ve got to sort that situation out.”

He added: “We’re starting with the temporary accommodation, with the bed and breakfasts, and bringing that down. And the next thing will be more of that prevention and more supply through affordable homes.

“I’m confident that as we get a grip of that, the housing register is going to start to come down and people are going to have sustainable private rental options as well.

“Those are the things that I think are the key things for us. We’ve started that journey through the corporate priorities set by the administration, and we’ve just got the opportunity to carry it on.”