Domestic Violence Victims Struggling To Access Housing Support

A study carried out by the National Commission on Domestic and Sexual Violence and Multiple Disadvantage found that domestic violence was one of the primary causes of women’s homelessness. But the report said homelessness services were often “inappropriate for women’s needs”, giving examples of women who were placed in mixed complex needs hostels alongside men or people dependent on alcohol and substances. Women facing multiple disadvantages came up against particular problems, it found. Many women referred to what they described as ‘gatekeeping’ in housing departments, which prevented them from accessing immediate emergency accommodation. Download the report here

Migrants Remain In Hostels to Avoid Losing Housing Benefit

Welfare reforms are causing supported housing to be ‘clogged up’. Efforts to protect European Union migrants from benefit cuts are leading to hostel accommodation and supported housing becoming ‘clogged up’, homelessness experts have warned. Moving European people on from supported housing will in some circumstances result in their housing benefit being cut under welfare reforms that came into effect in April. Migrants from the European Economic Area who are not working are no longer eligible to claim any housing benefit. Migrants who were already claiming before 1 April were given ‘transitional protection’ from the changes until there is a break in their claim, such as a move out of a local authority area or a sanction. Read more on Inside Housing.