Definition of Homelessness

STATES OF JERSEY

DEFINITION OF HOMELESSNESS

Presented to the States on 7th October 2022 by the Minister for Housing and Communities

STATES GREFFE

2022  R.138

REPORT

Foreword on Jersey's definition framework of homelessness

I am delighted that this crucial piece of work is my first publication as Minister for Housing and Communities.

Homelessness is not easy to define. It can be visible – those who are rough sleeping or staying on a friend's sofa. But it can be harder to see – those who are living in unsuitable or unsafe accommodation or those who are facing eviction.

Regardless of whether we see it or not, it does exist – in all its forms – in Jersey, with potentially devastating consequences for all those affected.

This definition framework will help make homelessness in Jersey more visible. It allows us to categorise homelessness so that our Housing Advice Service can target those who need support. It will also help Islanders understand if they are in a situation that requires intervention.

I met the Jersey Homelessness Cluster a matter of days after I was appointed as minister, and I spent my first few weeks in office visiting some of our emergency accommodation providers. They told me that a definition of homelessness was vital for us to better understand who needs help and how we can best give that help.

But working to tackle homelessness is also about recognising the impact that poor housing can have on health and education outcomes. As the Jersey Homelessness Strategy noted, we should aspire to live in a society where everyone has opportunities and can participate.

Although I plan to place the definition in legislation, I want to avoid the inevitable delays this can create. I want us to start capturing the data that this definition will provide so we can move in the right direction.

In the meantime, I will continue to work with the Jersey Homelessness Cluster to better understand what government can do to tackle homelessness and its impact.

When I spoke to the author of the Jersey Homelessness Strategy, she said something that struck me: "Home is everything." That message still resonates with me – and I hope that this definition will, at last, bring a far greater public awareness. The definition framework will help to drive government strategy today and into the future, and will give our least visible people a voice in the Island we all recognise as home.

Deputy David Warr , Minister for Housing and Communities October 2022

1. Introduction

1. The Jersey Homelessness Strategy includes an action to "understand and define homelessness by providing a statutory definition and clear messages to promote a shared understanding of the issue".  
2. The definition of homelessness set out in this document provides a common conceptual framework for homelessness in Jersey that will:

1. Enable common data to be collected between organisations.
2. Promote public awareness and understanding of homelessness in Jersey.
3. Inform  service  delivery,  and  policy  and  funding  decisions  relating  to homelessness.

3. This definition of homelessness was considered in two workshops of the Jersey Homelessness Cluster in December 2018 and November 2019, with a follow-up meeting in May 2021. Stakeholders favoured a four-tiered framework definition of homelessness,  consistent  with  the  European  Typology  of  Homelessness  and Housing Exclusion (ETHOS) framework.  
4. Whilst it is not proposed at this stage to place the definition of homelessness on a statutory footing, the publication of this framework will help to guide policy choices and service delivery and provide the basis for a statutory definition at a later stage.  

2. Definition

1. Internationally,  the  definition  of  homelessness  varies  between  jurisdictions. ETHOS,  designed  by  FEANTSA  –  the  European  Federation  of  National Organisations Working with the Homeless – provides a common "language" for homelessness and is used for different purposes such as a framework for debate, for data collection and for policy and monitoring purposes. ETHOS attempts to cover all living situations that amount to homelessness:

Rooflessness – without a shelter of any kind, sleeping rough.

Houselessness – with a place to sleep but temporarily in institutions or shelters.

Living in insecure housing – threatened with exclusion because of insecure tenancies, eviction, or domestic violence.

Living in inadequate housing – in caravans or illegal campsites, in  unfit housing or in extreme overcrowding.

2. The ETHOS typology that will be applied to Jersey is included at Appendix A. It will be used to define and categorise homelessness in Jersey. There are some minor additions to the ETHOS categorisation to reflect the local circumstances in which it will operate.

Appendix 1 – European Typology on Homelessness and Housing Exclusion