ABSTRACT

This paper sets out proposals for the ‘ideal’ legal framework to address homelessness in Great Britain (GB), with potential lessons for other countries seeking to pursue rights-based approaches in this field. Exploiting the ‘natural experiment’ conditions generated by post-devolution divergence in key aspects of homelessness law, the paper draws on legal and social scientific learning from England, Scotland and Wales, as well as internationally, to formulate proposals for the optimal rights-based model. We argue that an ideal statutory homelessness system, situated in a less than ideal welfare and housing context, requires a balance to be struck between a robust set of individually-enforceable entitlements, on the one hand, and scope for pro-active, flexible approaches on the part of housing practitioners, on the other. The ten core principles we advance would therefore aim to combine the best of ‘professional-centred’ and ‘rights-centred’ social policy approaches.

摘要

本文提出了解决英国无家可归问题的“理想”法律框架的建议，并为寻求在该领域寻求基于权利的方法的其他国家提供了潜在的教训。利用无家可归法律关键方面的权力下放分歧所产生的“自然实验”条件，本文借鉴了英格兰，苏格兰和威尔士以及国际上的法律和社会科学知识，为基于最佳权利的法律制定了建议模型。我们认为，理想的法定无家可归者制度所处的福利和住房条件不尽理想，一方面需要在一套强有力的可单独强制执行的权利与积极主动的灵活方法的范围之间取得平衡。在房屋从业者方面，另一方面。