The Fair Chance Fund
Engagement Events w/c 24th
February, 2014
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Homelessness Acceptances
Characteristics of homeless households,
Q3 2013, England
Numbers of households accepted as homeless
40,000
35,000
30,000
25,000
Rest of England
20,000
London
Household type:
Female lone parent household
Couple with dependent children
One person household - male
One person household - female
Male lone parent household
Other
Total
45%
21%
13%
11%
4%
6%
100%
15,000
10,000
5,000
201212
201112
201012
200912
200812
200712
200612
200512
200412
200312
200212
200112
200012
199912
199812
199712
199612
0
Age of applicant:
16 to 24
25 to 44
45 to 59
60 to 64
65 to 74
75 and over
Total
28%
55%
13%
2%
2%
1%
100%
•The latest homelessness acceptance figures for England were down 4% on last year, but the pattern isn't
uniform across the country.
•28% of homelessness acceptances aged under 25. 66% of acceptances households with children.
•£470M DCLG spend on homelessness over 4 year spending review period mostly to local authorities.
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Homelessness Ministerial Working Group
Homelessness Ministerial Working Group established 2010.
Chaired by Housing Minister with representation from DWP, MoJ DH, Home
Office, MoD, DfE and BIS
Two reports so far:
1st report focussed on rough sleeping and launched No Second Night Out
across the country.
2nd report: “Making Every Contact Count” focussed on a more joined up
approach to homelessness prevention and on youth homelessness in
particular.
Launched Youth Homelessness Pathway.
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Youth Homelessness Pathway
1. Minimise
Demand:
Education work
in schools /other
places on reality
of housing
choices
2. Reduce
Demand & Crisis
3. Reduce/ Avert
Crisis
Early intervention
targeted to keep
young people in
family network
Plan & prepare
with those at risk
of homelessness
BEFORE they
are in crisis
5. Supported accommodation
as a starting point for those with
higher needs or younger age
(16/17)
8. Young person is
ready to make
their next move
with minimal/no
support and is
positively engaged
in ETE
6. Floating Support in
accommodation - likely to be
shared in private rented sector
7. Shared student style
accommodation for those in FE,
employment or apprenticeship
with “light touch” support
4. Single Integrated
Service Gateway
Prevention, assessment
of need, planning advice
& options
AND access to other
services e.g.
ETE & Job Centre Plus
Range of health services
Life skills
Benefits advice
Steps 5-7
Young people can
access 3 broad
options and move
between them until
they are ready to
move on.
Why do some young people slip through the net?
Statutory Homelessness Duty limited to those in priority need. i.e.
 Homeless single people under 18 (who would usually legally qualify for help from
Children’s Services)
 Homeless families with dependent children
 Homeless care leavers under 21
Otherwise, homeless young people aged 18 or over, and those who are intentionally
homeless do not usually qualify for a statutory duty to accommodate them, although
they are entitled to advice and assistance.
Some young people may sort themselves out with help from family and friends.
Some may have homelessness prevented e.g. return to living with their families –
often the best outcome.
Some may be accommodated in supported housing e.g. foyer, hostel, supported
accommodation for young people.
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Why do some young people slip through the net?
But some young homeless people with serious problems do not get effective help
because, for example, they may:







Have been repeatedly evicted, or abandoned accommodation
Exhibit chaotic behaviour
Not engage with services
Have a history of violence or gang involvement
Have a history of offending
Be found to be intentionally homeless
Be evicted from or not accepted into hostels or supported housing due to their
assessed needs and associated risks and so are not accommodated
These issues may also be associated with drug and alcohol issues, mental health
problems, personality disorder, trauma, abuse, a history of being in care…
If not given the right support, this is a group who is likely to become long term rough
sleepers, prolific offenders, long term benefit dependant, die early.
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Why do some young people slip through the net?
So not a homogenous group, but we think can be defined as:
 Homeless (as broadly defined by the homelessness legislation)
 Not legally entitled to accommodation through Homelessness or Children’s
legislation.
 Under 25.
 Local authority would like to assist, but are not able to help them in existing
supported housing because of their high support needs or other difficulties.
or in other words:
 They are recognised by local authorities and their partners as in need of
accommodation and intensive support, but are likely to fall through the net of
existing services.
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The Fair Chance Fund
Government wants to help do more to assist this group of young
people because:
1. We want to tackle homelessness and give these vulnerable
young people a better chance in life.
2. We think this will offer long term benefits to the rest of society,
and save money in the long run.
3. We believe that given flexible funding and the freedom to
innovate and use their knowledge, expertise and passion, the
voluntary sector can be very effective in turning these young
people round in a surprisingly short space of time.
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The Fair Chance Fund
Features of the fund:
• Up to £15M to pay for outcomes from DCLG and the Cabinet
Office.
• We will pay for:
 Success in getting and sustaining suitable accommodation
 Success in getting and keeping work
 Success in obtaining recognised qualifications
• Outcomes need to be achieved in 3 years between January 2015
and December 2017.
• Many of the outcomes, especially accommodation outcomes,
need to be achieved in 2015/16.
• Up to £15K in total payable per person.
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The Fair Chance Fund
Stage 1. Expressions of Interest
Providers to complete application form and demonstrate support
from at least one local authority.
Assessed on:
 Track record of working with vulnerable young people.
 Ability to achieve successful accommodation and EET
outcomes with target group.
 Partnerships, including support from at least one local
authority.
 Proposed mechanism to identify client group.
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The Fair Chance Fund
• 100% payment by results – though considering the possibility of
an assessment fee.
• Two stage competitive grant process:
 Stage 1. Expressions of interest by service providers.
 Stage 2. Full bids.
Expected Timetable:
22nd April 2014 – Expressions of interest phase will close.
May 2014 – Invitation to submit full bids.
October 2014 – Winners announced.
Christmas 2014 – all grant agreements in place.
April 2015 – first outcomes payments claimed.
March 2018 – last outcomes payments claimed.
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The Fair Chance Fund
Stage 2. Full Bids
Bids can be from social investment SPVs or providers, and will need
local authority commitment in all areas they propose to work.
Assessment criteria not finalised but likely to include:
 Characteristics of cohort to be worked with within target client
and evidence of local need.
 Proposed methodology and resourcing.
 Price (below maximum tariff levels, but also dependent on
nature of group to be worked with).
 Evidence of available funding to support the work.
 Expected outcomes to be achieved including timing of
outcomes.
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The Fair Chance Fund
Stage 2. Full Bids
Assessment criteria not finalised but likely to include:
 Level of Social Investment (bids supported by social
investment are preferred)
 Scale – bids will need to be to achieve outcomes worth
between £500K and £3M. We expect larger bids may need to
cover more than one local authority, given the specific nature
of the target client group.
 Credibility and robustness of referral mechanism. Is this
strongly backed by a local authority. Can we be confident that
it will ensure help goes to those who need it most and that
“cherry picking” is avoided.
 Sustainability and additionality.
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The Fair Chance Fund
Additional Local Outcomes?
We are also considering the possibility of allowing local authorities
to pay for additional outcomes with match funding from Cabinet
Office.
This would be optional, but could mean:
 Widening the client group
 Paying for different outcomes
Where this makes sense locally.
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What Next
• Expressions of Interest Application Form to go on DCLG website
asap.
• Please complete by closing date
• Please answer non - assessed questions on outcomes metrics
and tariffs
• Start talking to local authorities – you will need local authority
support to go forward to next stage and local authority
involvement will be crucial for full bids
• Start thinking about Social Investment
• Let us know if you have any questions
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