Finally, COVID-19 and the related restrictions on in-person support had clearly affected customer relationships with the service. During the preceding 12 months of COVID-19-related lockdowns and restrictions, peer mentors were unable to meet up with mentees in-person. Whilst they were able to have phone contact, this was not the same and there were difficulties around relying on phone contact for this customer group: they may not answer, they might lack confidence with phone conversations, difficulties using phones, and the potential loss, theft and selling of phones. Opportunities for going out and “doing normal things” were non-existent and so social and community integration essentially stopped for customers during that time. As key workers, when restrictions allowed, service coordinators were able to physically meet with customers if necessary (with safety measures in place) but again, more of the contact was done over the phone. As highlighted in the customer case studies presented earlier, there was clear concern that some customers had been isolated during lockdown, and that this may have contributed to increases in substance use.
4.3.2 Theme 2: A lack of suitable properties for Housing First customers A fundamental challenge in Housing First Stoke-on-Trent is the lack of suitable properties available for customers. Stakeholders highlighted that there are not enough properties to support the number of people who would benefit from being supported in this way. Related to this was a lack of properties “ready to go”; it could take time to then find and secure an appropriate tenancy for Housing First customers, thus reducing the rapidity with which Housing First could put an end to someone’s homelessness. “Housing First ... it is what it says on the tin, you have got appropriate accommodation for somebody first and then you wrap support around them. Now if you haven’t got enough properties to begin with, that’s clearly an issue, isn’t it?”
For example, for the five customer case studies, the length between them joining the service and starting their tenancy ranged from 3 to 20 months. All were offered/provided with temporary accommodation in the meantime, which one customer had declined. Securing the “right” property and in the “right location” is essential and needs to be done with the individual customer – this takes time to build up an understanding of their needs and finding a suitable property in a location that works for them; it is not enough to just “give them the keys and that is it”. In addition, the standard of properties allocated to Housing First is sometimes very poor and stakeholders highlighted how this is detrimental to customers’ physical and mental health and wellbeing. Several examples were provided of unsuitable accommodation including problems with black mould and damp, smelling like urine, and being inaccessible for the customer.
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