Temporary Accomodation for West Midlands Homelessness Task Force

Background

M·E·L Research was commissioned by the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) Homelessness Taskforce to undertake a research project into families in temporary accommodation (TA) across the region). The taskforce was established in 2017, and is committed to identifying and addressing gaps in policies, procedures, laws, structures, systems and relationships that either cause or fail to prevent homelessness.

Temporary housing for families is an integral part of homelessness provision and one that is currently used at a high level and presents real challenges to both households using it an organisations providing it.

Methodology

In order to address the research questions, M·E·L Research carried out the following activities:

• a focused review of key literature
• analysed national and regional level secondary data on TA
• collected and analysed snapshot data from constituent local authorities
• interviewed the lead for TA (and sometimes additional colleagues) in each of the seven WMCA constituent local authorities – Birmingham, Coventry, Dudley, Sandwell, Solihull, Walsall and Wolverhampton – hearing from 12 colleagues in total
• interviewed 12 stakeholders more widely in the West Midlands, including housing associations, support providers, other local authorities in the region and more
• spoke to three wider agencies in the region, representing health and wellbeing, safeguarding and domestic abuse
• engaged with 21 families, mostly currently living in TA, and a few homeless families who had so far managed to avoid TA
• researched and engaged with a wider group of ‘good practice’ providers

Outcomes

Through our research we were able to identify:

• the impact of living in TA
• families longer-term housing needs
• good practice
• a profile of families and typical journeys into TA
• different types of TA used
• structural problems

From this we were able to provide key recommendations. We found that there is a role for the WMCA Homelessness Taskforce as a lobbying body seeking to influence investment and policy decisions nationally, regionally, and locally.