End of year review
2013-2014
Advice & Support - Consultancy
12,067 calls were made to
our housing consultancy lines
….a 22% increase
on last year!
We responded to 27% more
new and repeat enquiries, a
total of 10,218!
In addition to calls the online
queries were up by 32% for
CABs with 526 enquiries, and
up 64% for LAs & agencies
with 234 enquiries
9613 confirmation of
advice emails were sent
On average each
call takes 28 minutes
Members advice (by cases opened)
651
643
706
770
Local Authorities
Bureaux & Agencies
1517
1665
1608
2053
Q1 Apr - Jun 2013
Q2 Jul - Sept 2013
Q3 Oct - Dec 2013
Q4 Jan - Mar 2014
Regional matters – by cases opened
Local Authority Housing Advice Line
NHAS Consultancy Line
(bureaux and agencies)
Yorkshire, 358
National, 68
East
Mids,
311
West Midlands,
558
Yorkshire, 294
East
Mids,
182
Eastern, 326
Eastern, 904
West Midlands,
341
London, 218
South West,
553
London, 823
North East, 78
South West,
396
North West,
268
South East,
1274
North West,
384
North East, 124
South East,
524
Top 10 presenting problems*
NHAS Consultancy Line
(bureaux and agencies)
Relationship
breakdown, 292
Local Authority Housing Advice Line
Seeks
Accommodation
Relationship
, 98
breakdown, 103
Homelessness:
help with
homelessness
application, 291
Homelessness:
challenge to
homelessness
decision, 321
Tenancy
deposit
problem, 97
Homelessness:
challenge to
homelessness
decision, 134
Landlord
dispute/problem
/other, 1577
HB / Local
Housing
Allowance, 335
Possession
action:
s21/other
mandatory, 757
Dampness/
disrepair, 417
*not including ‘other’
Homelessness:
Threatened,
136
Ineligible due to
immigration
status, 165
Arrears: rent,
384
Tenancy
deposit
problem, 404
Homelessness:
general advice
(homelessness/
street homeless
options), 679
Homelessness:
general advice
(homelessness/
street homeless
options), 725
Homelessness:
help with
homelessness
application, 374
Possession
action:
s21/other
mandatory, 516
Landlord
dispute/problem
/other, 410
Training
There have been year on year increases to our training services, and in 2013-14
we have:









Delivered 394 face-to-face courses to 4170 advisers
Trained 5561 advisers through our e learning or bite size
Reviewed and updated 18 courses from our bureau and agency programme
Developed 5 new bureau and agency courses
Produced 4 new Bitesize, and an Introduction to advising on mortgage arrears
self study pack
Reviewed and updated the Local Authority training programme and rolled out
a new welfare reform course
Delivered 22 webinars
Developed and launched a new online booking system for bureaux and
agencies
Seen growth in on demand training requests – where courses are delivered in
house – and bespoke scheduling:
73 additional course requests processed in 2013/14
Advisers trained (F2F) – all members
1200
1000
Advisers trained
800
314
600
302
354
491
400
200
557
405
702
680
Q1 Apr - Jun 2013
Q2 Jul - Sept 2013
Q3 Oct - Dec 2013
Q4 Jan - Mar 2014
0
Bureaux/Agencies
LAs
Course Topics
Courses delivered - Bureaux and agencies
Housing Options and
Localism, 25
Rented Housing Next
Steps, 11
Rented Housing Issues
Made Clear, 32
Homeowners in financial
difficulty, 14
Mortgage Arrears &
Possession Process, 29
Housing Advice &
Relationship Breakdown,
53
Housing and Welfare
Reform, 40
Mortgage Arrears &
Budgeting, 18
Homelessness &
localism seminar, 1
Housing Foundation , 141
Possession Proceedings
for Rented, 39
Housing Assistance for
Persons From Abroad, 12
Hlessness Casework Skills,
6
Homelessness Advice
Next Steps, 14
Mortgage Arrears &
Possession Action, 6
Courses delivered - Local Authority training
Face to face
Welfare Reform for
Rented
Accommodation, 8
Webinars
Young People,
Hlessness & Housing
Options, 8
MRS Briefing,
2
Advising Non
Priority
Clients, 14
Housing
Advice for
Housing
Options, 27
Preventing
Mortgage
Repossessions,
4
Advising &
Assisting Non
Priority
Households, 6
Persons from
Abroad, 35
Basic
Mortgage
Debt Advice,
18
Relationship Breakdown, DV
& Hlessness, 15
Student
Union
Tenancy
Deposits, 6
Spare Room
Subsidy, 4
Information Resources
Housing and homelessness information in AdviserNet
Housing Matters (bi-monthly)
Adviser magazine (bi-monthly)
Housing Matters factsheets for clients
Range of publications e.g. dealing with mortgage arrears
Wide range of briefing material and FAQs available from
www.nhas.org.uk
Monthly e-bulletins to members
Improving Outcomes for Young People
This new website launched in May 2013 to
help professionals working with young
people on housing and homelessness
issues.
The site is a knowledge base for those involved in helping young people
sort out their housing problems and encourages local authorities and
their voluntary sector partners to take a more proactive approach
towards preventing young people becoming homeless or vulnerably
housed.
Since the site launch in May we have had:
• 5,567 website visits
• 19,061 page views:
• 9,267 visits to the ‘Advice for advisers of young people’ page
• 3,170 visits to the ‘Delivering services for young people’ page
Mortgage Debt Advice
Homelessness was prevented in over 1,400 cases,
40% more than last year
18%
more households with mortgage debt issues were helped this year,
a total of 2400!
Lenders had commenced possession proceedings in
45% of cases
142 different local authorities referred cases to us
Developed and delivered Preventing Mortgage Repossessions
webinars for local authorities and other voluntary agencies
Mortgage Debt Advice – referral agency
800
700
Cases opened
600
500
400
300
200
100
0
Returning client
OVAs
Shelter
RP
LA
Q1 Apr - Jun
74
64
100
18
232
Q2 Jul - Sept
79
62
240
30
204
Q3 Oct - Dec
72
71
163
49
243
Q4 Jan - Mar
87
87
265
32
215
Client Outcomes
Debt issues resolved/Affordable debt
payment plan in place, 39
Client's housing costs
reduced to an
affordable level, 15
Homelessness
prevented,
226
Client's benefit
issues…
Cl advised &
taking action
self/with 3rd
pty help, 293
Client secured temporary
accommodation, 12
Other outcome, 204
Permanently rehoused, 54
Client secured
permanent/settled housing,
32
Outcome unknown, 114
Permanent existing
accomm retained, 896
Client referred on
internally, 9
Client referred on
externally, 98
Client loses
accommodation, no further
action possible, 42
Hlessness
Casework Skills, 6
One-off case client informed of
all options, 108
Client gets lump sum
payment, 5
Homelessness delayed, 19
Matter stopped on adviser's
recommend, 23
Most common presenting problems
Hlessness Casework
Skills, 6
Possession action:
S21/mandatory, 11
Affordability
problems,
270
Eviction (bailiffs warrant), 5
Eviction (bailiffs
warrant):
mortgage, 392
Arrears: rent, 10
Arrears: mortgage, 1121
Possession action, 7
Supported Money Advice Scheme (Bureaux)
Handled 710 cases where the client was in mortgage arrears,
at risk of possession and qualified for MRS
Homelessness was prevented in 84% of cases
On average during the year the top two presenting reasons
were illness and relationship breakdown
In about a third of cases MRS was identified as the option to
pursue but in approximately half of cases were able to identify
an advice/budgeting/income maximisation option that would
enable the client to retain their home
Jointly delivered the MRS Direct Lender referral option for
Lenders
Provided in house support workshops to bureaux
Provided briefing material and updates for bureau staff on
MRS and mortgage arrears options
Development – Training for Bureaux & Agencies
New face-to-face courses developed
Housing & Welfare Reform
Mortgage Arrears & Budgeting
Mortgage Advice and Possession Proceedings
Housing update course
Rented housing issues
New bite size
Housing disrepair
Housing & homeless applications: the different
Housing status refresher
Introductory and starter tenancies in a nutshell
New self study pack
Introductory to advising on mortgage arrears
Development – Training for Bureaux & Agencies
Courses amended, reviewed, updated
Advising on possession proceedings
for rented housing
Housing assistance for persons from
abroad
Homelessness Advice- Next Steps
Housing and Relationship
Breakdown
Housing Foundation
Housing Options and the Localism
Act
Housing Rights for Students
Housing Rights for tenants with tied
tenancies
Housing rights for ex offenders
Localism Act 2011 and housing
Can my client afford to stay in
their home?
Housing rights for agricultural
tenancies
Tenancy deposit scheme
Tenants of landlords facing
possession action
Tenancy deposit scheme
Tenants of landlords facing
possession action
Introductory and starter tenancies
in a nutshell
Housing court desk skills
Landlord harassment
Applying to suspend a warrant of
possession
Development – Local Authority Training
Developed and rolled out a Welfare Reform for Occupiers in Rented
Accommodation course
Developed a Security of Tenure course ready for delivery in 2014/15
Introduced a webinar on the Spare Room Subsidy to complement
the face to face welfare reform course, and a Student Union
Tenancy Deposit webinar
Completed course reviews of 6 core training courses:
-
Housing Advice for Housing Options
Persons from Abroad
Relationship Breakdown, Domestic Violence and Homelessness Prevention
Young People: Homelessness and Housing Options
Advising & Assisting Non Priority Households
Basic Mortgage Debt Advice
Development – Agency Membership
28 new members signed up
25 local advice agencies and 3 national organisations
Overall membership included
145 OVAs
12 Nationals
27 Student Services
12 Refugee and Migrant organisations
2 Registered Providers
Membership
100 expressions of interest in membership
15 expression of interest meetings
22 existing agency meetings
17 presentations to potential, new existing members
New members – voluntary organisations
Chapter 1
LAMP
Leeds University Union
Herts Young Homeless
The Bridge
Keyhouse
MAP
Eaves Housing for Women
DIAL (Leeds)
Camden Community Law Centre
Castle Vale TRA
Homemaker South West
Look Ahead
St Basils
Kent Union
Greater Kent Student’s Unions Together
Coulsdon Sixth Form College
Encompass SouthWest
Gipsil
National Autistic Society
Barnsley MBC Children’s Centre
Berwick Youth Project
Huntingdon’s Disease Association
Aston Students Union
Wigan Housing Solutions CIC
Shinewater Shaftesbury Centre
Reading Community Welfare Rights
Prisoners Abroad
Resources
150,889 website visits – more than double last year
Top web pages for members:
Member
Page
Public
Publications for tenants
Bureaux
Resources for Advisers
Voluntary agencies
Training courses
Local Authorities
Resources for Advisers
Alongside our established
monthly updates to Local
Authorities and Advice
Agencies, from October 2013
we introduced monthly MDA
bulletins
Bi monthly updates for
Housing Matters providing
you with leaflets on the Spare
Room Subsidy, Benefit cap,
Full Housing Duty, and
Suitability, and articles
covering Eligibility for Croatian
and A2 nationals, High Court
Bailiffs, the Social Fund after
April 2013 to name a few
Advisor magazine –
contributed regular housing
articles to this bi monthly
publication
Developed or updated over
289 housing information items
on AdviserNet
Produced briefing documents
on areas such as Tenancy
Deposits, spare room subsidy
etc for advisers – accessible
through the website
Published leaflets for the
general public, such as ‘Can I
afford my mortgage?’
Feedback
Consultancy Line
We saw an increase in the number of returned
surveys this year – thank you for taking the time to
provide feedback! (NB COA = confirmation of advice)
LAHAL - 17% of all COAs sent resulted in a
completed survey
NHAS - 12% of all COAs sent resulted in a
completed survey
Overall - 13% return rate
The information and advice given on the
telephone was clear and helpful to my client.
- 93% Agree or Strongly Agree
I would use the service again.
- 95% Agree or Strongly Agree
I regularly use this service and find
it invaluable to support my role, my
enquiries are varied and the NHAS
team never fail to provide
accurate, and relevant information
about the issues my clients are
facing. Thank you a million times
for this great service..
(Advice Agency)
I’ve been asked to pass on the following
by a couple of trainees who attended
the recent course. They thought [the
NHAS trainer] was brilliant. They were
not sure how to write this on the
evaluation sheets, but they wanted to
express how good he was, that he was
very good at keeping their interest
levels high and that they learnt a great
deal. They are now very enthusiastic
about housing.
(Bureau)
Training
Agency training - 95% (average) rated the
course as good or excellent, 93% (average)
rated the trainer as good or excellent
LA training - 93% (average) rated the course
as good or excellent, 95% (average) rated
the trainer as good or very good
89% that attended local authority training
would recommend the course they attended
90% that attended local authority training
thought the course level was appropriate
Feedback
Mortgage Debt Advice
98% of LA’s that responded said that people
they spoke to were friendly and informative.
96% of LA’s that responded said that they
would refer cases to the service again.
96% of end users that responded said that
MDA staff were friendly and approachable.
98% of end users that responded said that
advice was explained clearly to them
98% of end users that responded said that
they were happy with the service.
93% of end users that responded said that
the service had a positive impact on their
case.
'Keep up the very good work you
do.'
'Very satisfied. Thank you.'
'It is reliable, high quality and I
can't fault it.‘
(Comments from agency survey)
Thank you again for all your
assistance throughout this
process. I can't praise [NHAS
MDA] enough for your expertise
whenever I've got in touch and
needed assistance. Very
impressive service!
(Local Authority)
Agency survey
92% were extremely likely to recommend to
a colleague
82% are happy the training is meeting their
organisation’s needs
100% are satisfied with the Consultancy
Line time taken to answer a query
90% find the NHAS website provides the
housing resources and information they
need
Other activities - Preventing Mortgage
Repossession Events
The Mortgage Rescue Scheme delivery group agreed to hold a series
of events across the country to support wider communication of the
close down of MRS two, and to disseminate and gather further
information on lessons learned from the scheme.
Four events were held in Manchester, Leeds, Nottingham and London.
Council of Mortgage Lenders delivered presentations outlining the
lenders’ perspective, the Homes & Communities Agency, and Greater
London Authority (London only), covered the MRS programme and
lessons learned, with NHAS providing an update on the money advice
support available
167 delegates attended – with a good mix of LAs, CABs, voluntary
agencies, and a small number of housing providers and lenders
Other activities - Preventing Mortgage
Repossession Events
Delegates raised concerns about a number of issues but principally
focussed on the loss of MRS and Preventing Repossessions Fund
monies and the inevitable lack of anything to replace the scheme.
NHAS has prepared a Lessons Learned report that pulls together
the positive and negative aspects of the scheme using contributions
from key stakeholders – this has been shared and is available to
view at www.nhas.org.uk
Other activities – NHAS supporting the Gold
Standard Programme
The Ministerial Working Group published the ‘Making Every Contact Count – A
joint approach to preventing homelessness’ in August 2012. The documents
set out 10 local challenges for local authorities to achieve. NHAS secure
funding from DCLG to provide LAs with Shelter Legal membership, training and
tools.
306 local authorities took up Shelter Legal membership – each membership
allowed access for up to 20 users
324 training days, covering intermediate and advanced level topics, were
provided and 4062 delegates attended
The 3 most popular courses were: Homelessness Update; Housing Law
Update and Security of Tenure
The feedback showed that 95% of delegates rated the course as good or
excellent, and 96% rated the trainer as good or excellent
Shelter Legal Training
Allocations after
Localism, 21
Localism Act 2011 &
Tenure, 9
Housing Law
Update, 48
Universal Credit, 29
Homelessness Casework
Skills, 6
Homelessness Update, 59
Disrepair (2 day), 20
Assured
Shorthold
Tenancies, 27
Young People Housing &
Homelessness, 36
Security of Tenure, 40
Other activities – Homelessness practical
workshops
We developed a practical workshop for bureau advisers in response to
the kind of queries they were getting. The format covered case studies
looking at advising on Homelessness and allocation policies. The
feedback we received was excellent for the content and format, and in
the end 9 were delivered across England.
“Delivery included discussion and
tactics which our advisers found
very helpful”
Other activities – Gold Standard Bespoke
Training
NHAS commissioned the Youth Pathway: Developing a pathway for
young people in housing need (16-25 year olds) course, and it was
rolled out in March 2014.
The course was designed to ensure participants leave with a range of
ideas, information and increased knowledge regarding how to improve
joint working and prevention of homelessness amongst young people.
2 local authorities hosted cluster training for the Youth Pathway
course, delivered by St Basils, and 38 delegates were trained
Other activities – Gold Standard Tools
NHAS (Shelter) developed:
Diagnostic Peer Review Tool: this has allowed LAs to assess their
service with other authorities in a peer setting
The stats compiler: this allows local authorities to look at their local
area statistics
National Practitioner Support Service (NPSS) website: NPSS have
overall responsibility for the delivery of the Gold Standard
Programme
Outcomes
We wanted to find out more about the outcomes for you and your
clients. The percentages below are based on the members that replied
to our request for information on outcomes from NHAS support:
Consultancy Lines
17% of respondents said cases resulted in homelessness prevented
17% of cases resulted in clients securing settled or permanent housing
100% of respondents were satisfied or very satisfied with the service
Training for Local Authorities
78% of those that completed the survey said their confidence in dealing with the
training topic had increased, both immediately after training and sustained this 3
months on
89% said that they had been able to apply the knowledge gained
45% said they had cascaded information they had learnt on to colleagues