The Future of Homelessness
Thames Homeless Project
Newsletter Autumn 2010
www.thames-homeless-project.org.uk
Our aim is to help prevent homelessness and alleviate the effects of homelessness. We help people from Elmbridge, Runnymede and Spelthorne who do not qualify for help from the local authorities. Thames Homeless Project started over 10 years ago in Walton-On-Thames, with a small group who wanted to do something practical for local homeless people. Today, THP is still made up entirely of volunteers. In addition to supporting a hostel for single, homeless people, THP provides grants and loans. This might be to help secure a home e.g. with a deposit, or to help with essential furniture and household items. We also consider applications for grants from organisations working with homeless people. Recent initiatives have included funding a Tenancy Support Worker in Elmbridge and a Nightstop worker in Runnymede and Spelthorne. THP’s funds come from voluntary donations only. We receive no grant or Local Authority or Government funding.
The Future of Homelessness W
e are coming to the end of what has been a relatively benign period for Homelessness for two different reasons. The first is the plan of the coalition government, in its target of reducing public spending, under the headline “Welfare Reform”. What is envisaged starting April 2011 is to reduce the Housing Benefit cost by limiting Local Housing Allowance (for private sector tenancies) to 4 bedroom properties and impose caps for smaller properties. Shelter state that London households will be particularly affected and that many households will be pushed over the edge, increasing levels of overcrowding, debt and homelessness. Citizens Advice state that the proposed cuts will lead to a sharp increase in rent arrears and homelessness and will being homeless this type of overall trend cause a homes crisis. the statistics confirm The National Housing will become more but the decline in home Federation claim that ownership is already more than 750,000 people mainstream and under way. The general would be at risk of losing not limited to the state of the economy and their home and that low the significant tightening usual minority income families will be in the mortgage market forced out of large parts groups with the Credit Crunch of London and the South will accelerate these East. The impact is likely changes. to lead to the highest These two reasons will also change number of people ending up homeless the profile of those who become in Britain for more than 30 years. homeless in that being homeless will The second reason is that many become more mainstream and not marginal home owners will be forced be limited to the traditional minority to exit this housing tenure and privately groups in our local communities. rent. We have never before had to face
“
“
Our Mission
The role of THP Clearly our local communities need charities such as THP more than ever to help take up the strain and provide a safety net for the most vulnerable that are excluded from assistance from Local Authorities (who themselves will be significantly stretched by current developments). We recognise the challenge at THP and are planning for a substantial rise in assistance to individuals and couples and other organisations working in the field of homelessness. We also foresee helping families in the future. We are attending Local Homeless Fora to better understand how THP can fit in with other local provision and make the difference. Amongst the homeless, those not in priority need (typically single people and childless couples) approach the Rentstart organisations and the THP role in supporting these organisations and their clients is well established. So the future here is one of scale in providing
more support. The homeless who are vulnerable (because of age, both young and old, because of sickness and disability or because they are families with dependant children) will approach the Local Authority as in “Priority Need”. Provided they are eligible and have a local connection, they will be provided with accommodation unless they are found to be “Intentionally Homeless”. The great fear here is that some exiting home owners could be found intentionally homeless on the basis that they should never have taken on mortgages and become home-owners in the first place. The Local Authorities have received Supplementary Guidance on this very issue and we wait to see how it will be implemented. So we can see how some homeless families might find themselves without Local Authority assistance. Can THP play a role here? We are keeping a close watch on this subject and developing our plans.
A massive thankyou… … to Damian Lamberton who has been a trustee of Thames Homeless Project for XX years and who for xxxx xxx xxx xxxx
pictures of the AGM to go here
pictures of the AGM to go here
Advance warning of AGM are planning for a substantial rise in assistance to individuals and couples and other organisations working in the field of homelessness. We also foresee helping families in the future. We are attending Local Homeless Fora to better understand how THP can fit in with
Changes to membership At our next AGM, we intend to comply with our Constitution regarding voting. Only members of the charity can vote and so we ask all interested parties to ensure they are registered as members. The rules for membership as established by the Management Committee are as follows: a. Members need to live or work in the area of Elmbridge, Runnymede or Spelthorne or have a connection to the three boroughs. b. Members subscription is £5 per annum. c. The subscription is waived for those on means tested benefits or who sign up to be volunteers. d. Individuals that pledge regularly (£5 per annum or more) are automatically enrolled as members.
Please contact Amanda Davison for membership forms. Amanda can be contacted as follows:
ch u o t in t e g can u o y w o H If you would like to contact THP, you can do in the following ways: By Post: THP PO Box 198 SHEPPERTON TW17 7BA
By Phone:
01932 235885
This is an automated message service. Messages are picked up every two to three days.
By Email
[email protected] Emails are picked up every day.
also…
A big thanks to all of you for your continued support in 2010 so far Thames Homeless Project, Registered Charity No. 1067767
Newsletter Autumn 2010
www.thames-homeless-project.org.uk
Our aim is to help prevent homelessness and alleviate the effects of homelessness. We help people from Elmbridge, Runnymede and Spelthorne who do not qualify for help from the local authorities. Thames Homeless Project started over 10 years ago in Walton-On-Thames, with a small group who wanted to do something practical for local homeless people. Today, THP is still made up entirely of volunteers. In addition to supporting a hostel for single, homeless people, THP provides grants and loans. This might be to help secure a home e.g. with a deposit, or to help with essential furniture and household items. We also consider applications for grants from organisations working with homeless people. Recent initiatives have included funding a Tenancy Support Worker in Elmbridge and a Nightstop worker in Runnymede and Spelthorne. THP’s funds come from voluntary donations only. We receive no grant or Local Authority or Government funding.
The Future of Homelessness W
e are coming to the end of what has been a relatively benign period for Homelessness for two different reasons. The first is the plan of the coalition government, in its target of reducing public spending, under the headline “Welfare Reform”. What is envisaged starting April 2011 is to reduce the Housing Benefit cost by limiting Local Housing Allowance (for private sector tenancies) to 4 bedroom properties and impose caps for smaller properties. Shelter state that London households will be particularly affected and that many households will be pushed over the edge, increasing levels of overcrowding, debt and homelessness. Citizens Advice state that the proposed cuts will lead to a sharp increase in rent arrears and homelessness and will being homeless this type of overall trend cause a homes crisis. the statistics confirm The National Housing will become more but the decline in home Federation claim that ownership is already more than 750,000 people mainstream and under way. The general would be at risk of losing not limited to the state of the economy and their home and that low the significant tightening usual minority income families will be in the mortgage market forced out of large parts groups with the Credit Crunch of London and the South will accelerate these East. The impact is likely changes. to lead to the highest These two reasons will also change number of people ending up homeless the profile of those who become in Britain for more than 30 years. homeless in that being homeless will The second reason is that many become more mainstream and not marginal home owners will be forced be limited to the traditional minority to exit this housing tenure and privately groups in our local communities. rent. We have never before had to face
“
“
Our Mission
The role of THP Clearly our local communities need charities such as THP more than ever to help take up the strain and provide a safety net for the most vulnerable that are excluded from assistance from Local Authorities (who themselves will be significantly stretched by current developments). We recognise the challenge at THP and are planning for a substantial rise in assistance to individuals and couples and other organisations working in the field of homelessness. We also foresee helping families in the future. We are attending Local Homeless Fora to better understand how THP can fit in with other local provision and make the difference. Amongst the homeless, those not in priority need (typically single people and childless couples) approach the Rentstart organisations and the THP role in supporting these organisations and their clients is well established. So the future here is one of scale in providing
more support. The homeless who are vulnerable (because of age, both young and old, because of sickness and disability or because they are families with dependant children) will approach the Local Authority as in “Priority Need”. Provided they are eligible and have a local connection, they will be provided with accommodation unless they are found to be “Intentionally Homeless”. The great fear here is that some exiting home owners could be found intentionally homeless on the basis that they should never have taken on mortgages and become home-owners in the first place. The Local Authorities have received Supplementary Guidance on this very issue and we wait to see how it will be implemented. So we can see how some homeless families might find themselves without Local Authority assistance. Can THP play a role here? We are keeping a close watch on this subject and developing our plans.
A massive thankyou… … to Damian Lamberton who has been a trustee of Thames Homeless Project for XX years and who for xxxx xxx xxx xxxx
pictures of the AGM to go here
pictures of the AGM to go here
Advance warning of AGM are planning for a substantial rise in assistance to individuals and couples and other organisations working in the field of homelessness. We also foresee helping families in the future. We are attending Local Homeless Fora to better understand how THP can fit in with
Changes to membership At our next AGM, we intend to comply with our Constitution regarding voting. Only members of the charity can vote and so we ask all interested parties to ensure they are registered as members. The rules for membership as established by the Management Committee are as follows: a. Members need to live or work in the area of Elmbridge, Runnymede or Spelthorne or have a connection to the three boroughs. b. Members subscription is £5 per annum. c. The subscription is waived for those on means tested benefits or who sign up to be volunteers. d. Individuals that pledge regularly (£5 per annum or more) are automatically enrolled as members.
Please contact Amanda Davison for membership forms. Amanda can be contacted as follows:
ch u o t in t e g can u o y w o H If you would like to contact THP, you can do in the following ways: By Post: THP PO Box 198 SHEPPERTON TW17 7BA
By Phone:
01932 235885
This is an automated message service. Messages are picked up every two to three days.
By Email
[email protected] Emails are picked up every day.
also…
A big thanks to all of you for your continued support in 2010 so far Thames Homeless Project, Registered Charity No. 1067767
