FOI data reveals huge differences in council support for care leavers renting with private landlords

Latest UK government statistics for England show that 4,300 care leavers were  recorded as homeless in the last year, representing a 54% increase in the last five years. Getting practical support for them to find a home in the private rental sector is vital if those shocking numbers are to be reduced.

In a briefing published today by NYAS, Freedom of Information data from 129 responding councils across England and Wales reveals that while a majority (76%) will pay towards rent deposits for a care leaver they are responsible for, less than half are willing to act as a guarantor. A guarantor is someone who co-signs the lease and becomes liable for rent or any other charges if the tenant cannot meet them. Many landlords will simply not accept young tenants without a guarantor, and most care leavers have no-one to call on as a potential guarantor other than the council. In some local authority areas, in both England and in Wales, there is no council support with deposits or guarantors at all if care leavers need to find a home in the private rental sector.

In England:

• 48 responding local authorities (42%) told us they will act as a guarantor for care leavers
• 87 responding local authorities (77%) told us they will provide rent deposits for care leavers
• 44 responding local authorities (40%) will offer both deposits and guarantors to care leavers who have moved out of their area

In Wales:

• 8 responding local authorities (50%) told us they will act as a guarantor for care leavers
• 12 responding local authorities (75%) told us they will provide rent deposits for care leavers
• 6 responding local authorities (40%) will offer both deposits and guarantors to care leavers who have moved out of their area

Even where their council does offer rent deposits and guarantor support, a care leaver will often have to meet eligibility criteria that can leave them unable to benefit from the support on offer to others. For example, some councils responded that they will only support private tenancies for care leavers who go to university, or who can already prove a history of stable renting.

As the Renters’ Rights Bill moves towards Committee Stage, NYAS wants to see care leavers protected from discriminatory practice by private landlords and letting agents. This is also an important time to end the wide variation in the role that councils play as the ‘corporate parent’ for children who grew up in their care only to face the risk of homelessness as an adult.

Rita Waters, NYAS Group CEO, said:

“The scale of homelessness that thousands of care leavers face every day is a scandal. No parent would watch their own child leave home only for them to struggle to find or secure a roof over their head. Private rental may not be the right option for every care leaver, but it must be more accessible for those who need or choose it. If councils should act like any other parent would, they ought to be willing to put their name and money behind securing their child’s first tenancies in adulthood.  Our data shows that some councils are doing everything they can already, and they should be applauded for this. Now is the time to see that best practice spread across both nations as a standard, so that no care leaver is left out.”

Sharon Lovell, CEO of NYAS Cymru, said:

“This data shows the differences within Wales in the support that care leavers receive when trying to get privately rented homes, depending on which council is responsible for them. It’s vital that the Welsh Government continues in its commitments to raise standards for all care leavers everywhere in Wales, and is willing to make the offer of rent deposits and guarantor schemes a required standard of corporate parenting for every child leaving care.”

Housing FOI Briefing – Oct 24 (2)