Council                                                           Agenda Item 48

Subject:                    Dignity and Trauma-Informed Audit of Housing and Homelessness Services

Date of meeting:     1 October 2026

Proposer: Councillor De Oliviera

Seconder:                Councillor McLeay

Ward(s) affected:    All

Notice of Motion

Green Group

This Council notes

1) That Brighton & Hove has committed to dignity, residents’ rights and trauma-informed practice across housing, homelessness and domestic abuse services.

2) People seeking housing support may be experiencing risk of homelessness, domestic abuse, poverty, discrimination, disability, mental distress or trauma. Even well-intentioned systems can deepen distress through repeated assessments, complex processes, insensitive communication, unsuitable accommodation or repeated disclosure of traumatic experiences.

3) Council recognises that frontline housing staff face severe pressure from rising homelessness, shortages of genuinely affordable homes and long-term underfunding of local government.

4) Council believes residents should be treated as people, not case numbers, and services should promote safety, trust, accessibility, choice and respectful communication. Trauma-informed practice must not individualise structural problems; better processes cannot substitute for social housing, affordable rents and properly funded public services.

This Council resolves to request officers to explore and report to Cabinet on:

1) A Dignity and Trauma-Informed Audit of Housing and Homelessness Services, covering homelessness, temporary accommodation, allocations, repairs, rent arrears, complaints and tenancy support.

2) A review of letters, forms, digital systems and procedures for intimidating, stigmatising, inaccessible or re-traumatising practices.

3) A “tell us once” approach to reduce repeated disclosure of sensitive information.

4) Ensure tenants, people with lived experience, community organisations, frontline staff and trade unions shape the audit.

5) Report findings and an action plan to cabinet within 12 months.

6) Council affirms that nobody should have to surrender their dignity to ask for housing, repairs, tenancy support, or somewhere safe to sleep.