FOI request (FOIR-274616089)

Empty homes and homelessness

Requested Fri 20 November 2020
Responded Tue 08 December 2020

This is a request for information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000. My request relates to empty residential properties and homelessness.

1. I would like to request the number of residential properties within your council area (not limited to council or social housing) which have had no residents for the entirety (or most of) the following years:

a. 2016/17

b. 2017/18

c. 2018/19

d. 2019-20

e. 2020-21

Please specify if this is recorded by calendar or financial year? My preference would be for financial. If you are unable to provide data for the whole year then 4 snapshots at different dates throughout the year should help paint a picture of empty homes in the area.

2. I would also like to request the number of people declared intentionally homeless within your council, relating to the following periods:

a. 2016/17

b. 2017/18

c. 2018/19 to date

3. I would also like to request the number of people declared unintentionally homeless within your council area, relating to the following periods:

a. 2016/17

b. 2017/18

c. 2018/19 to date

4. I would also like to request any other data used to measure the number of homeless people and/or rough sleepers within your council area, relating to the following periods:

a. 2016/17

b. 2017/18

c. 2018/19 to date

Response

Q1 - Empty homes:

This information is held in financial years:

a. 2016/17 - 53

b. 2017-18 - 69

c. 2018/19 - 184

d. 2019/20 - 510

e. 2020/21 - 583

Q2 - Intentionally homeless:

• pre 1st July 2020 - please visit .gov website at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/live-tables-on-homelessness

• from 1st July 2020 to date = 3

Q3 - Unintentionally homeless:

• pre 1st July 2020 - please visit .gov website at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/live-tables-on-homelessness

• from 1st July 2020 to date 1 x Homeless + priority need + unintentional - duty owed but referred to another Local Authority 1 x Homeless + priority need + unintentional - refused to cooperate (s193c(4) duty owed) 50 x Homeless + priority need + unintentional - s193(2) duty

Q4 - Number of rough sleepers in area:

a. 2016/17 230 individuals verified rough sleeping over this period

b. 2017/18 321 individuals verified rough sleeping over this period

c. 2018/19 284 individuals verified rough sleeping over this period

d. 2019/20 262 individuals verified rough sleeping over this period

e. April 2020 to date 141 individuals verified rough sleeping over this period. Obtaining more specific information (such as, average number of rough sleepers verified on an early morning outreach session) will take longer to put together.

More information on homelessness/rough sleepers is available at:

• Homelessness Review at https://www.hastings.gov.uk/housing/strategies/ this gives information about the make-up of housing stock in the area.

• .gov website at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/live-tables-on-homelessness