Safeguarding Homeless Adults

1. Safeguarding Homeless Adults

Homeless is a term that includes all of the following:

1. Sleeping rough;
2. Single homeless (individuals living in shelters, hostels and temporary accommodation);
3. Statutorily homeless households (households seeking help due to being currently or imminently without accommodation); and
4. Hidden homeless (adults and households whose situation is not visible or known).

Adults who are homeless may be at increased risk of abuse or neglect. For example, their lack of stable accommodation can leave them vulnerable to physical, emotional or sexual abuse, and their possessions vulnerable to theft.

Homeless adults are entitled to the same response and support from the safeguarding adult's process as all other adults.

Any support to help the adult find accommodation should also take into account the circumstances that led to their homelessness in the first place. Failing to address this may lead to unsuccessful housing and repeated homelessness.

2. The Homelessness Reduction Act

The Homelessness Reduction Act 2017 places a duty on homeless services to assist all eligible households. This means that all households, whether they are in priority need or not, can access assistance regarding both the prevention of and the resolution of homelessness.

The Act requires a clear focus on:

• Prevention and early actions;
• Strong referral routes and joint working;
• Clear housing pathways;
• Personal housing plans.

For further guidance see: Homelessness code of guidance for local authorities.

Under the Act there is a duty to refer. This means that any professional or agency needs to consider the housing circumstances of the adults that they come into contact with. If the adult is "homeless" or "threatened with homelessness" a referral should be made to the Housing Options service within the Local Authority (with the adults consent).

For further guidance, see: A guide to the duty to refer (GOV.UK).

3. Domestic Abuse

The Domestic Abuse Act 2021 places specific requirements on addressing the housing needs of victims, including victims who are homeless.

For guidance, see: Homelessness code of guidance for local authorities - Chapter 21: Domestic Abuse

4. Further Resources for Practice

LGA and ADASS resources

The LGA and ADASS have produced briefings to support and improve safeguarding practice at all levels:

Adult safeguarding and homelessness: a briefing on positive practice

Adult safeguarding and homelessness: Experience-informed practice

Research in Practice

Research in Practice have developed a radical safeguarding for homelessness toolkit. The toolkit has been co-produced by people and practitioners with lived experience and is aimed at everyone working with homeless adults. It offers an accessible, interesting and reflective approach to explore radical principles and anti-oppressive practice.

See: Embedding a radical safeguarding approach in adult social care.

NICE

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guideline ‘Integrated health and social care for people experiencing homelessness’ includes recommendations for safeguarding practice. This includes the following recommendations for Safeguarding Adults Boards:

1. Local authorities should consider having a lead for people experiencing homelessness on the Safeguarding Adults Board;
2. Safeguarding Adults Boards should ensure that specific reference is made to people experiencing homelessness in their annual reports and strategic plan;
3. Safeguarding Adults Boards should share recommendations and key learning related to homelessness from Safeguarding Adults Reviews with key stakeholders.
4. Safeguarding Adults Boards should establish ways of analysing and interrogating data on safeguarding notifications about people experiencing homelessness so that they can check that local safeguarding arrangements offer the necessary protection.

See NICE: Integrated health and social care for people experiencing homelessness.