Council

Agenda Item 48   

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

Date of meeting:    1 October 2026

Proposer:                 Councillor Paul Nann

Seconder:                Councillor Gill Williams

Ward(s) affected:   All

Notice of Motion

Labour Group Amendment

That deletions are made as shown with strikethrough below and additional recommendations are added as shown in bold italics below:

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 acknowledge;

1) A Dignity and Trauma-Informed Audit of approach to 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 in accordance with procedures and practices are managed respectfully and considerately to reduce effects of trauma where possible.

4) The proposed Housing learning and development policy and landlord services professional standards recently presented at Cabinet, draws on tenant feedback, staff input trade union engagement and evidence based learning

5) Report findings and an action plan to cabinet within 12 months. The policy and standards adopted inclusive of the above as well as progress on the housing strategy and the rough sleeping and homeless strategy as will be monitored to ensure compliance and annual reports will be available.

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

Recommendations to read if carried:

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 acknowledge;

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

2) Disclosure of sensitive information in accordance with procedures and practices are managed respectfully and considerately to reduce effects of trauma where possible.

3) The proposed Housing learning and development policy and landlord services professional standards recently presented at Cabinet, draws on tenant feedback, staff input trade union engagement and evidence-based learning

4) The policy and standards adopted inclusive of the above as well as progress on the housing strategy and the rough sleeping and homeless strategy as will be monitored to ensure compliance and annual reports will be available.

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