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WQ.127/2024
WRITTEN QUESTION TO THE MINISTER FOR HOUSING BY DEPUTY K.M. WILSON OF ST. CLEMENT
QUESTION SUBMITTED ON TUESDAY 2nd APRIL 2024 ANSWER TO BE TABLED ON TUESDAY 9th APRIL 2024
Question
“Will the Minister –
- state what information he has on the housing problems facing people with long-term mental health issues and identify what those problems are;
- advise what protections, if any, are in place to ensure that people experiencing mental health problems do not lose their homes should they require hospital admission for a substantial period of time for treatment; and
- if no such protections exist, consider developing or establishing such protections?”
Answer
- I do not hold information on the housing problems faced by Islanders with long-term mental health issues. As the Deputy will appreciate, I only hold data on Islanders registered on the Gateway for social housing or those who have approached the Housing Advice Service to discuss their housing needs. However, the Housing Advice Service are working with the director of Mental Health and Adult Social Services to develop and improve pathways in this area.
- A tenancy should not be ended because a tenant has experienced a mental health difficulty or has had to temporarily leave their home to seek medical treatment. However, ‘no fault evictions’ remain allowable under Article 6 of the Residential Tenancy Law, whereby a landlord can issue three months’ notice to a tenant on a periodic tenancy with no requirement to provide a reason. I am working on producing a new Residential Tenancy Law to provide enhanced protections for tenants. Also, I am aware of some cases where tenants have worried they would end up in rent arrears, due to losing parts of their Income Support. I have discussed this issue with the Minister for Social Security, who agrees that we should do more to make sure that Health and Income Support work together to support patients in this instance.
- Up until recently the Gateway team were only made aware of a patient’s needs at the point of discharge. However, the Housing Advice Service have this month set up a monthly meeting with a representative from Andium Homes and the hospital’s discharge planning team to discuss accommodation solutions, including financial support where appropriate.