The purpose of this section is to establish a framework for understanding the characteristics of hostel accommodation for homeless people. It seeks to develop a typology of hostel accommodation for homeless people in Britain. While we hope that the content and good practice described in the handbook will be of use to all those providing hostel-type accommodation, including those working with families, this typology does not specifically consider provision to those classed as being in priority need by the homelessness legislation. It explores definitions that are commonly used within the (mainly voluntary) hostels sector.
A range of provision catering specifically for non-priority homeless people (i.e. those not re-housed under the homelessness legislation) has developed over the past twenty years. Within these developments a number of terms have been used, often interchangeably, to describe different types of accommodation and their services. The accommodation caters for a variety of different needs and differs widely in function and design. No two projects are the same and vary depending on location, size, duration of stay, target group, and service provision. However, it is important to establish the commonality of hostels and other accommodation projects.
For a more comprehensive review of emergency/hostel accommodation in the UK see the Resource Information Service’s (RIS) 2006 publication: Emergency Hostels in the UK: An Analysis of Provision from the Emergency Accommodation Directory
This section is not about good practice, but about the characteristics of hostel accommodation. Some of the practices currently operated by emergency accommodation and mentioned in this section will be challenged later on in the handbook.
The characteristics of hostel accommodation | Temporary | Emergency | Direct Access | Hours of access and staff cover | Support | Domestic services | Target group | Length of guaranteed stay | Organisational status | Year long or seasonal provision
This section sets out the different characteristics by which hostels can be described, defined and differentiated. Few, if any, characteristics are universal but they enable us to understand the nature and operation of hostel accommodation for homeless people and aid the process of developing a typology.
If any characteristic is universal in hostel accommodation, it is its temporary nature, where temporary means accommodation that is not intended to be a permanent home for the residents. In other words, the organisation’s policies and procedures set a time limit on the residents’ stay. However, some hostels do provide accommodation that is intended - or turns out - to be permanent. Emergency accommodation (below) aims to move people out in the short term.
The term ‘emergency’ implies that the accommodation can be accessed quickly, when no other alternatives are available or desirable to the individual. The key to this term is the nature and use of the accommodation at the point of entry. Emergency is also defined from the perspective of the individual for the emergency is unique to them. Emergency accommodation, in order to remain so, is usually temporary.
The RIS publication Emergency Hostels in the UK: An Analysis of Provision from the Emergency Accommodation Directory suggests that emergency hostels should meet most of the following criteria:
back to index
Direct access is a term that is common throughout the homelessness sector. However, there is no consensus on a definition. To be direct access, a hostel must accept self-referrals. There is a difference in referral routes between much of the country and London. The majority of services in the North East and South West for example, accept self-referrals. In London, however, the majority of services only accept referrals from Street Outreach teams, or other named agencies.
Most emergency accommodation projects open on a 24-hour, 365-day-a-year basis. Nightshelters and some winter shelters, however, open only in the evenings and overnight. Whilst 24-hour opening is preferable, funding and subsequently the available staff cover, often dictate the nature this provision. (See section on The local context )
Staff cover also varies between projects. Some projects operate with very minimal paid staff cover with additional staffing being provided by volunteers. Within such projects it is not uncommon to find paid staff fulfilling a wide range of roles, from reception to meal provision, to keyworking and resettlement. In larger and well-funded projects the staff roles are more specific with separate jobs for these roles. Again there are many factors that dictate the levels and roles of staff which may include an analysis of local need and wider homelessness strategies.
back to index
The level of support provided by emergency accommodation projects varies considerably due to a number of factors:
As a minimum, ‘support’ includes:
Where a wider range of support exists, these may include:
Domestic services aid stabilisation and improve the quality of life in emergency accommodation. These may include some or all of the following:
The project’s mission and ethos will determine the extent to which domestic services are provided or to what extent residents are expected to cater for themselves.
back to index
This is perhaps the most variable characteristic of emergency accommodation projects. It is broadly possible to identify two types:
Specialist provision include projects for:
Some projects reserve some bed spaces as specialist provision, whereas others may cater solely one group or need. For ‘general’ admission criteria projects, there will often be a great diversity of clients including some from many of the above groups. Such diversity can be a very positive thing in emergency accommodation. Click here to see more about valuing diversity.
The length of guaranteed stay also varies between projects. Winter shelters and some nightshelters operate on a one-night-only basis where the bed is only guaranteed for the night. The majority of nightshelters operate a very short-term stay, from one to four weeks, and they usually expect the resident not to return for a defined period between lengths of stay. Hostels, on the other hand, operate anywhere between one month and two years. Some have no cut-off point but residents are encouraged to move on at some point.
The turnover of bed spaces varies between projects and within projects. Maximum lengths of stay are often enforced to ensure that emergency bed spaces do not become ‘silted-up’ so that projects can maintain their emergency and/or temporary nature.
back to index
Emergency accommodation is provided by a number of different types of organisation, including:
Some emergency accommodation projects are part of larger organisations providing a range of accommodation and services.
The majority of projects operate all year round. However, some projects open only during the winter or Christmas periods. Commonly known as winter shelters, hostels operating only during the months of December to March are designed to accommodate those who do not, or are unable to use year round provision.
They provide a temporary period of respite and are characterised by a more ‘open door’ policy. By their very nature they rarely require residents to contribute financially although some may encourage residents to gain access to benefits, including Housing Benefit. They also provide additional bed spaces at a time when year round provision experiences its highest demand.
back to top | Next section: Values and ethos