Agenda item - Item Referred from Housing & New Homes Committee - Housing First

Housing First referred by the Housing & New Homes Committee on 17 January 2018

Resolved:

1)            The Health & Wellbeing Board considered the successes achieved by Housing First in terms of wellbeing outcomes and overall cost-effectiveness, and explored the identification of resources in collaboration with the CCG in order to be able to contribute to its expansion in 2018/19.

52A.1  Officers introduced the report and stated that Housing First was a new approach to working with entrenched homeless individuals. Instead of moving from a hostel, to support accommodation to an independent tenancy individuals move straight into independent housing with a package of support.

52A.2  Officers responded to Dr Sikdar that if an individual did not want or was not able to move straight into an            independent tenancy the existing model would still be in place to support them.

52A.3  The Acting Director of Public Health welcomed an innovative, client centred approach particularly with the evidence based process which would reduce the risks of implementing a new approach.

52A.4  Councillor Page stated that he agreed with the Acting Director of Public Health’s sentiments and supported a future expansion of the scheme. Councillor Page also added that Housing First would reduce the long-term cost of homelessness to public services as a whole.

52A.4  Councillor Barford asked that future reports show how Housing First could be expanded from the pilot programme.

52A.5  The Chief Executive, Brighton & Hove City Council stated that the Housing First programme and more generally the balance between spending on prevention verses spending on immediate issues would be something the Board would have to tackle.

52A.6  Councillor Janio asked officers how Brighton & Hove would avoid a first mover disadvantage from offering Housing First. An improved offer could lead to an increase in homelessness in the city.

52A.7  Officers responded that Eastbourne and Hastings as well as several London Boroughs were all in the process of implementing Housing First.

52A.8  Dr Sikdar stated that he had found that homelessness was often a barrier to health care and suggested that Housing First could potentially reduce health spending.

52A.9  The Chair stated that the challenge for officers was to work to show the financial benefits of the programme and invited officer to bring future reports on Housing First directly to the Health & Wellbeing Board as it oversaw the Health & Adult Social Care budget.      

52A.10Resolved:

1)            The Health & Wellbeing Board considered the successes achieved by Housing First in terms of wellbeing outcomes and overall cost-effectiveness, and explored the identification of resources in collaboration with the CCG in order to be able to contribute to its expansion in 2018/19.