Written evidence submitted by Plymouth Business School, University of Plymouth, Citizens Advice South Hams (TH0008)

 

Lifting the Veil of Invisibility - Hidden Homelessness

 

1.Why Hidden Homeless?

 

1.1 Citizens Advice South Hams and Plymouth Business School, University of

Plymouth, recently conducted research of Hidden Homelessness in South Hams, Plymouth and Cornwall.  Citizens Advice has been recording more anecdotal evidence from their advisors of Hidden Homelessness in affluent South Hams, urban Plymouth and the more rural Cornwall.  This evidence will focus on our understanding of Hidden Homelessness in parts of Devon and Cornwall.

 

2. The nature of the problem

 

2.1 In the last decade, the South Hams has seen growth in house prices of over 74%. In Cornwall growth was 62% and Plymouth 53% (LandTech, 2024).  The average house price in Devon and Cornwall is now £356,000 (Plumpot 2024) compared to the national average of £261,000 recorded by the Nationwide Building Society.   This has impacted on affordability, with house prices at 10.35 times higher than average earnings for the South West region (LandTech, 2024), with South Hams in particular showing house prices 14.48 times higher than average earnings. At the same time rents in the private rental sector have grown whilst the value of welfare support for tenants (Local Housing Allowance) has stalled.  The level of rent in the Plymouth Broad Market Area increased by 28% from 2013 – 2023 but the Local Housing Allowance was frozen in 2020.  This created a widening gap between income and outgoings for many of the poorest in society (Citizens Advice and University of Plymouth 2023).

 

2.2 Second homes and holiday lettings play a major role in creating a lack of affordable housing in the region, due to depletion of housing stock available for local people. Additionally, Section 21 no-fault evictions have been a striking factor contributing to Hidden Homelessness. The Office for National Statistics (ONS 2021) identifies that young people in rural and coastal areas are especially at risk of being homeless. The South West is also affected by the seasonal nature of the jobs, particularly in tourist areas, resulting in earnings consistently lower than the national lower quartile and median rates.

 

2.3 Citizen’s Advice advisers in South Hams, Plymouth and Cornwall have found the official classification of intentionally homeless, so they do not qualify for any public help for their housing situation, is sometimes a blunt tool that leaves people in difficult situations. This includes (1) where relationships have broken down irretrievably and neither partner can afford to move out, yet neither make a representation for homelessness support (2) tenants facing an Section 21 eviction who reject an offer of accommodation because it would mean resettling their children in a new school (3) three generations electing to live together to ease financial pressures and meet caring responsibilities.  This is in addition to those who are often referred to as “sofa surfing.

 

 

2.4 Many of the people we spoke to are employed, they just simply cannot afford to rent.  Causes may include the breakup of a relationship and given there is very limited affordable accommodation for single people in the area, homelessness may be the outcomeSection 21 no-fault evictions are also a factor.  Indeed, some of those affected by Section 21 Evictions reported that this appeared to be a means to increase the rent beyond what they can afford.  Some people have grown up in or have moved to the South Hams and outlying areas for work/relationships.  The South Hams, for example, is one of the most expensive areas of the country to live in. The typical profile of the people we spoke to were employed, single people, aged 25 – 34.  Despite being in work they cannot afford to rent or buy.  There is extremely limited affordable accommodation for single people in the South Hams. 

 

 

3. The meaning of hidden homelessness

 

3.1 By their very nature the Hidden Homeless are very hard to access, they are largely invisible. Indeed, many do not necessarily consider themselves homeless.  We conducted a literature search of the meaning of Hidden Homelessness, which included academic sources, governmental bodies and external organisations. There is no single universally agreed definition of what Hidden Homelessness means. This makes offering solutions difficult if there is no agreement as to the precise nature of the problem to be solved.

 

3.2 Typically, Hidden Homeless individuals are living in temporary accommodation often relying on friends and family, sometimes for a short time.  For some there is no other realistic long-term option. If these temporary forms end, through loss of goodwill, then the Hidden Homeless may be forced to become homeless, though they would be classified as intentionally homeless.

 

3.3 The term “sofa surfing” is often used for those living in various precarious housing situations without a permanent home.  However, Hidden Homelessness covers more complicated situations than just sofa surfing.

 

 

4. Defining hidden homelessness

 

4.1 The July 2024 National Audit Office (NAO 2024) report notes the recognition in the 2023 Office for National Statistics review (ONS 2023) that, "there is no UK-wide definition of 'hidden' homelessness." The National Audit Office report concluded that a new definition was beyond its scope, and so the review adopted a broad definition extending beyond legal definitions and entitlements. It notes further work is being conducted on this. Our comments on this debate for a universally agreed definition of Hidden Homelessness are submitted below as a contribution drawn from our locally based research and experience.

 

4.2 The lack of agreement in the meaning of Hidden Homelessness is driving one of our main suggestions in this evidence.  To start to address the problem, there needs to be an agreed definition of what Hidden Homelessness means.  We suggest our own definition of hidden homelessness as a starting point for debate as. We identify below the characteristics of Hidden Homelessness and then offer a precise definition. The key characteristics of Hidden Homelessness are:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4.3 Based on the above points our definition of Hidden Homelessness is those who are “Inappropriately accommodated (living in overcrowded conditions or without sufficient privacy or persisting despite relationship breakdown) without the means or resources to move on from or improve their situation. They are, in effect, trapped by their circumstances. The Hidden Homeless feel hopeless, constricted and stuck with no way out or escape from the incredibly challenging circumstances they are living in.  This extends previous definitions which have stressed being ‘provisionally or temporarily accommodated’ to now add that while they are not technically homeless, they can see no long-term way out.”

 

 

5. The human cost of hidden homelessness

 

5.1 Speaking to Citizens Advice advisors, other organisations who support the

Hidden Homeless and people who find themselves in this situation cite a number of clear impacts it has on these individuals. Because of the lack of visibility and the sheer difficulty in identifying and reaching the Hidden Homeless it is difficult to quantify exactly how many are affected.  However, those organisations like Citizens Advice who are contacted for their help report that they feel the numbers are increasing.  There is a sense that this is an issue that has not had to be dealt with since the Second World War.

 

5.2 There is a sense that Hidden Homeless people feel isolated, anxious and unsupported. The people we spoke to cite a dire lack of affordable housing to rent, including specialist housing for older people, prison leavers, people leaving care and those leaving abusive relationships.  This is a very acute issue in the South Hams, which is a very affluent area.  Citizens Advice advisers report that people, often with long standing links to the area, simply cannot afford to rent there, even if they are earning reasonable incomes. The lack of new homes and competition from the holiday/second home market are the drivers for this growth in Hidden Homelessness.

 

5.3 Speaking to people who identify as or have been Hidden Homeless we note that they report a range of impacts upon them from their situation:

 

6. Recommendations to tackle hidden homelessness

 

6.1 The causes of, and impacts from, Hidden Homelessness is very complex.  Having to rely on temporary accommodation, often with no long-term solution in sight, creates or exacerbates other problems.  These problems such as access to education, physical health and mental health issues often require seeking advice, help and support from multiple agencies.  It is this fact which makes many Hidden Homeless feel that they are invisible. At the same time the initial problem, lack of affordable housing, can lead to other problems which local authorities, the NHS and schools have to deal with.  Turning a “blind eye” to Hidden Homelessness may be a false economy because it leads to new problems that require funding to fix. We suggest that tackling Hidden Homelessness is a more efficient and cost-effective use of public resources than waiting until people are homeless, when local authorities have a statutory duty to step-in.

 

6.2 We are not convinced that central or local government fully recognise how the situation has changed for predominantly younger generations, many of whom have given-up hope of home ownership and increasingly, renting their own accommodation. As a result, policymaking needs to keep up with the reality of Hidden Homelessness which is now a fact of life for many working people.  Moreover, this includes not just traditional low wage earners anymore but also increasingly some middle-income people.

 

6.3 To address Hidden Homelessness we recommend:

 

 

Sources:

 

Citizens Advice South Hams, Plymouth and Cornwall and University of Plymouth (November 2023) I sit there on my sofa and cry: the human impact of the Local Housing Freeze.

 

LandTech (2024) South West house price growth and affordability. Available at: https://land.tech/reports/south-west-house-price-growth-

affordability#:~:text=Over%20the%20decade%20spanning%20August,%C2%A3185%2C642%20to%20%C2%A3309%2C616.

 

National Audit Office (July 2024) report – Value For Money.  The effectiveness of Government in tackling homelessness. Available at: https://www.nao.org.uk/reports/the-effectiveness-of-government-in-tackling-homelessness/

 

ONS (2021) People experiencing homelessness, England and Wales: Census 2021. Available at:

https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/housing/articles/peopleexperiencinghomelessnessenglandandwales/census2021.

 

 

ONS (2023) Hidden homelessness in the UK: evidence review. Available at:

"Hidden" homelessness in the UK: evidence review - Office for National Statistics

 

 

Plumpot (2024) South West property prices. Available at: https://www.plumplot.co.uk/South-West-house-prices.html.

 

November 2024