LIVERPOOL City Council has today launched a public consultation on proposals to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping in the City.

The Council has set out a draft 5-year strategy outlining a number of plans for the prevention of homelessness and for ensuring sufficient accommodation and support is available.

The 48-page draft document has been developed over the past 18 months following a series of workshops with stakeholders and service users and a comprehensive review of the Council’s Front Door to Homelessness Services, as well as an in-depth focus on its Housing Options Service.

This work has been formulated into what is known as:- "The Liverpool Ladder" the cornerstone of the draft strategy; with each of the eight rungs representing key priorities to address, in partnership, across the City. They are:-

1. Act quickly.
    
2. Leave no-one out.
    
3. People centred People First.
    
4. Access the right housing.
    
5. Make great homes.
    
6. Learn, connect, impact.
    
7. Invest in skills and jobs.
    
8. Build and empower communities.

The public consultation comes as the Council, which is also in the process of adopting a new housing strategy, faces unprecedented demand.

In 2023/24, the overall number of approaches for housing support was 6,532.

A total of 1,245 households are currently in temporary accommodation, which cost the Council more than £21m; a staggering 12,000% rise in the last 5 years, in 2023. It is forecast that in 2024 is will be £28 million.

The latest rough sleeping data also shows the number of long term rough sleepers in the City has risen by more than 40% in the past 2 years. Last month (October 2024), an average of 29 rough sleepers were seen per night.

Housing pressures in Liverpool are exacerbated by the fact that just 1,500 social housing properties become available each year, whilst 13,000 people are listed on the waiting list.

The research that led to the strategy also revealed the top 3 reasons for homelessness in Liverpool now are:-

1. Family and friends no longer willing to accommodate:- 32.3%,
    
2. Domestic abuse:- 17.1%.
    
3. Loss of assured shorthold 3 tenancy:- 15%

Councillor Sam East, Cabinet member for Housing, said:- “Everyone in our City deserves a safe, suitable and secure home. A good home is the foundation of a successful life – the bedrock of your education, employment, family life, physical and mental health. It should be available to everyone. Sadly though, we recognise that this isn’t the case for too many of our residents. Our City, like many across the country, is experiencing increasing homelessness – and risk of homelessness. There are a variety of factors at play, including national policy issues outside of our control. However, we are determined to play our part in shielding our residents from homelessness and this strategy is the foundation. Too often, responding to homelessness is a reactive, emergency process. That has to change. We know that people experience housing stress in a variety of ways, beyond the most extreme form – rough sleeping on our streets. That’s why our draft Homelessness Strategy puts places and importantly people at the heart of decision making around homelessness. We want to hear from as many people as possible in this consultation and by building on our excellent relationships with our partners together we can help tackle homelessness in our City. Homelessness causes great financial strain on the Council but a far greater impact on the individuals and families that experience it. We cannot deliver a robust Homelessness Strategy without input from our people and our stakeholders in the voluntary, charity and faith sectors who provide such invaluable support to people experiencing housing stress. Please have your say on this draft strategy to help us further shape our proposals and deliver on our shared priorities.”

What happens next?

The 8 week consultation will run until:- Monday, 6 January 2025 with the strategy and an online survey available at:- Liverpool.Gov.UK 

A delivery plan for the strategy will be developed during the consultation phase. The recommendations from the homelessness review (Review of the Front Door), the actions from the Bed and Breakfast Reduction Plan and ongoing transformation activity will also inform this plan.

Did You Know?

1. 52% of Liverpool’s population live in rented accommodation.
    
2. There are 79 registered providers of social housing operating within Liverpool, providing 59,461 properties. 6,270 are supported and sheltered housing units and 955 are low cost home ownership.
    
3. Liverpool City Council invests significant amounts each year into services to prevent and address homelessness and rough sleeping. This includes 700 beds of commissioned temporary accommodation for single people and 63 units of specific ‘First Step from the Street’ provision for rough sleepers.