Homelessness and employability
Barriers
Stuctural
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Attitudinal
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Personal
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Housing Benefits system (including cost of transition and a beneftis culture)
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Suitability of training for chaotic lifestyels
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Self esteem
Addiction
Fear of benefit transition (inc. debt)
Chaotic lifestyles
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Background/Policy
The Glasgow Homeless Network study of 2006 reported that 66% of homeless people interviewed had previously worked, with 68% stating they would like to work. Despite this high level of aspiration only 8% of interviewees were actually in work. The reasons for this are manifold ranging from the structural in terms of the barriers created by the benefits system to the attitudinal in terms of fit with lifestyle and stigma attached to homelessness and working ability. On a personal level, lack of work experience or recent references, no or low skills or qualifications, and the low self esteem that accompanies homelessness can be a major cause of keeping people experiencing homelessness at a distance from the labour market.
Surveys undertaken by homelessness organisations regularly show that clients often have multiple needs in addition to their homelessness.
One agency found that more than a third of its clients had at least 2 additional support needs relating to, for example, mental health and substance use issues.
The health and well-being of homeless people is consistently below national averages. In a 2009
study undertaken by the University of Glasgow in a sample group of Greater Glasgow Health Board patients the average age of mortality for homeless women was 37 compared to 51 if housed, and 42 for a homeless man as opposed to 54 if housed.
People experiencing homelessness clearly face a multitude of additional barriers when attempting to move closer towards the labour market and the journey towards it can be, for some, a long and, at times circuitous route.
Recent policy has made reference to the importance of addressing the employability needs of homeless people. The Housing Scotland Act ( 2001) required local authorities to write homelessness strategies that took account of employability, and both the Code of Guidance in May 2009, and the
Prevention of Homelessness Guidance in June, 2009 mention employability agencies and employment as being important parts of the bigger picture in tackling and preventing homelessness. There is, however, for example, still no statutory duty to record the employability needs of people presenting as homeless, and no tracking systems to measure the employability route to employment.
The impact of the introduction of
Employment Support Allowance is yet to be fully seen but it is likely to have penetrating effect on the relation of homeless people to the labour market, and their perception of it.
Crisis have previously
reported that an estimated 70% of homeless people were in receipt of Incapacity Benefit, and, therefore, subject to the increased conditionality of the change to ESA.
People who have experienced homelessness and are housed in temporary accommodation can find that accommodation costs in relation to Housing Benefit levels militate against taking up employment, training or education opportunities. Given that high numbers can be in temporary accommodation for significant periods of time, this can impact upon both the actual and perceived ability of homeless people to progress in their journey towards work. The coming reform of Housing Benefit will hopefully address some of the systemic barriers thrown up by the current welfare system.