Post-implementation evaluation of the homelessness legislation (part 2 of the Housing Act (Wales) 2014) interim report

Research aims and methodology: 1.1 Part 2 of the Housing Act (Wales) 2014 introduced major changes to the way homelessness is being addressed in Wales (from April 2015), with the core changes aimed at extending services to include prevention of homelessness and providing assistance to all eligible applicants. A longitudinal post-implementation evaluation of this part of the Act is now underway, which focuses on both process and impact. 1.2 The overall aim of the evaluation is to understand how the Act has been implemented by organisations involved in supporting people at risk of homelessness (local authorities,housing associations and third sector organisations), and once completed, the research will inform the Welsh Government’s understanding of the impact of the legislation on people who are homeless/at risk of homelessness. 1.3 The specific evaluation objectives are to: Evaluate the implementation of the legislation by local authoritiesEvaluate the short and longer term impacts of the new legislationIdentify, through interim and final reporting, the need for further improvements, developments and support to ensure consistently good services are delivered across WalesAssess the impact of the legislation on service users, local authorities and key partnersEvaluate the impacts on homelessness of the much greater emphasis on prevention that is a core feature of the Housing (Wales) Act 2014. 1.4 The evaluation comprises two waves of fieldwork, the interim report presents the findings from the first wave of fieldwork. As an interim report, no recommendations are provided within this report, but will form part of the final report. 1.5 The evaluation involves qualitative and quantitative research methodologies and a number of complementary phases utilising a number of different research approaches. To date the following activities have been completed: Quantitative analysis of secondary dataSurvey and review of 22 local authorities [first wave: June – August 2016]Consultation with 16 national stakeholders [October – November 2016]Selection of six case study local authority areas to consult and engage with service providers and service users [September 2016]Case Study: Engagement and consultation with service users [first wave: October 2016 – January 2017] 154 interviews were conducted. 1.6 The following activities are to be completed:Case Study: Engagement and consultation with service providersSurvey and review of 22 local authoritiesQuantitative analysis of secondary dataCase Study: Engagement and consultation with service usersCollation and review of existing information: policy and literature review 1.7 The homelessness statistics collected by the Welsh Government on a quarterly basis from local authorities were examined. All of this data was taken from the publicly available Statistics for Wales website. 1.8 Sixteen interviews were conducted with national stakeholders from the following organisations: Community Housing Cymru (1); Chartered Institute of Housing Cymru (1); Cymorth Cymru (1);Higher Education institution (1);Homelessness Network (1);Shelter Cymru (2); Supporting People (1);Private Landlords Association (1); Take Notice Project (1);Welsh Local Government Association (1);Welsh Government (3); Tai Pawb (1) 1.9 All 22 local authorities were surveyed and both qualitative and quantitative information relating to the different stages outlined in the Act was gathered. 1.10 Six case study areas were selected on the basis of geography: urban/rural/coastal and north/mid/south Wales and whether housing stock had been retained by the local authorityor transferred to an RSL. Additional criteria extrapolated from Stats Wales, including performance based on homelessness successfully prevented (s66) and relieved (s73) also guided selection. The location of case studies is not revealed in the interim or final report. 1.11 In total, 154 interviews were conducted with service users across the six local authority areas and the sample was influenced by the people who presented as homeless or werereceiving assistance from the local authorities during the time of the fieldwork. Most of the interviews were arranged by local authority staff and conducted at local authority offices, orheld at hostels and shelters