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Status
Received: on time
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Income
£525.8K
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Spending
£577.5K
Public benefits
To relieve poverty and distress Shelter NI focuses on households who cannot obtain a home because they are poor. Our work benefits people 1/ with or without a home of their own whose income is so low that they have to depend on the State 2/ who live in unsuitable housing whose income is so low that they cannot afford to bring their home up to a
decent standard without State assistance or where the landlord will not improve the home to a decent standard and the occupier cannot afford to move to alternative decent housing 3/ who have no home, no income and who are excluded from State support The benefits from this purpose include the following outcomes: • Households in poverty living in decent affordable suitable warm housing with improved safety, long term security of tenure and consequently sustainable neighbourhoods with the opportunity for improved quality of life and health and well-being • A more equitable, balanced, fair and peaceful society The benefits of housing are demonstrated through Article 25(a) of the United Nations Universal Declaration on Human Rights (UN, 1948). Housing is regarded as a necessity for improved quality of life, for good health and well-being and for reducing inequalities according to the World Health Organisation through their Commission on the Social Determinants of Health (CSDH) (2005-2008) and its final report ‘Closing the Gap in a Generation’: Health Equity through Action on the Social Determinants of Health (July 2008) Government is promoting housing as a contributor to sustainable neighbourhoods and to a more equitable, balanced, fair and peaceful society. The NI Executive has 5 priorities to deliver peace, prosperity, fairness and well-being in the Programme for Government 2011-2016. Priority 2 refers and it includes the ‘increased provision of decent, affordable, sustainable housing’ We do not believe there are any private benefits to the relief of poverty. To relieve hardship and distress among the homeless and among those in need who are living in adverse housing conditions. Government accepts that Homelessness is an extreme form of social exclusion (DSDNI Including the Homeless Promoting Social Inclusion report July 2007). Recorded homelessness here is the highest in the UK and its level is expected to grow. Shelter NI’s beneficiaries encompass everyone living in NI who is, or who is at risk of homelessness and/or living in unsuitable or substandard housing conditions. The benefits which flow from the relief of this need include the following outcomes: Households dwelling in unsuitable or substandard housing or households who are homeless or at risk of homelessness living in decent affordable suitable warm housing with long term security of tenure, improved safety and consequently more sustainable neighbourhoods with the opportunity for improved quality of life and health and well-being Private benefits from this purpose could include for example, contractors improving properties owned by clients to make them suitable will make profit from their work. These benefits are incidental and necessary to meet this need. To make moneys available to housing associations and other bodies (whether corporate or not) whose aims being charitable are the relief of such hardship and distress. The purpose is to make funds available to other charities where they propose to relieve hardship and distress; providing the beneficiaries are within the same groups as identified above. We do not believe there are any private benefits to this purpose. We believe there is no harm associated with any of the above benefits. Benefits from the above purposes are measured over time by the Census, other regional housing and economic statistics, research, studies and surveys along with regular and long term measures of health and well-being measuring health equity and inequalities and government publications showing progress against Programme for Government tar
... [more] [less]What your organisation does
We publish what we do in an annual report. We help older people make their home suitable for independent living by assisting with documentation and professional help. We mediate with contractors in disputes. This prevents the risk of homelessness for 4-500 households per year currently. We measure satisfaction rates for our service and we gather
data to support our campaigning. We support young homeless people16-25 to prepare for independent living, through employment or training, reducing their risk of poverty and cyclical homelessness. Currently we aid 25 young people per year, but that programme is expanding. We campaign to Stormont Ministers, Assembly Committees, Departments and other statutory bodies regarding homelessness and adequate levels of supply. We prepare briefings to MLAs, correspond, respond to strategy, policy or legislative proposals, release press statements and host seminars and conferences to address poor housing and homelessness. We educate and inform the general public about homelessness and poor housing, temporary accommodation and the support needed for vulnerable households who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. We also comment on the level of housing need and supply. We do presentations on these issues by invitation or by arrangement with schools or other groups of people or individuals. We also promote the issues associated with homelessness through the media, the internet and social media. We report on the pathways into homelessness and their impact; poor and substandard housing; housing need and supply; and related services factors. We use this information to support our campaigns and to identify innovative approaches and long term solutions to address homelessness or to prevent homelessness; and address unmet needs. We work directly and with others for those households excluded from their housing rights by any government policy or practice which places them at risk of homelessness or renders them homeless e.g. migrant people
... [more] [less]The charity’s classifications
- The prevention or relief of poverty
- The advancement of education
- The advancement of human rights, conflict resolution or reconciliation or the promotion of religious or racial harmony or equality and diversity
- The relief of those in need by reason of youth, age, ill-health, disability, financial hardship or other disadvantage
- Other charitable purposes
Who the charity helps
- Asylum seekers/refugees
- Community safety/crime prevention
- Ethnic minorities
- Ex-offenders and prisoners
- General public
- Homelessness
- Learning disabilities
- Mental health
- Older people
- Physical disabilities
- Tenants
- Travellers
- Unemployed/low income
- Voluntary and community sector
- Volunteers
- Youth (14-25 year olds)
How the charity works
- Accommodation/housing
- Advice/advocacy/information
- Community enterprise
- Counselling/support
- Disability
- Education/training
- General charitable purposes
- Human rights/equality
- Relief of poverty
- Research/evaluation
