I weld y dudalen hon yn Gymraeg, cliciwch yma.
The panel has published its report setting out its recommendations for legislative change to the Welsh Government.
The Welsh Government has also set out its own plans for bringing forward legislative change in this White Paper consultation.
In this section
Overview
As part of the Welsh Government’s action plan to end homelessness, Minister Julie James invited Crisis to convene an Expert Review Panel to consider how legislative change could help to end homelessness in Wales.
Chaired by Professor Suzanne Fitzpatrick of Heriot-Watt University, the panel included representatives from the third sector, academia, housing associations and local authorities and met for a year, starting in August 2022.
The panel’s report was shaped by wide engagement with experts by experience, as well as professionals from the housing sector and beyond.
The report presents Welsh Ministers with a package of proposed reforms which could play a significant role in ending homelessness across Wales.
Who was involved in the Expert Review Panel?
The panel was chaired by Professor Suzanne Fitzpatrick. As Director of the Institute of Social Policy, Housing, Equalities Research (i-Sphere) at Heriot-Watt University, Professor Fitzpatrick has extensive experience in homelessness research across Great Britain.
Panel members represented a variety of voices from across the housing sector, including the third sector, local authorities, homelessness services, housing associations and academia. Panel members were as follows:
Chair: Professor Suzanne Fitzpatrick, Heriot-Watt University.
Panel members
- Matt Downie MBE, Crisis
- Professor Peter Mackie, Cardiff University
- Jennie Bibbings, Shelter Cymru
- Katie Dalton, Cymorth Cymru
- Jim McKirdle, Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA)
- Angela Bowen, Carmarthenshire Council
- Sam Parry, Conwy Council
- Emily James, Pembrokeshire Council
- Clarissa Corbisiero, Community Housing Cymru
- Nazia Azad, Tai Pawb
Support and advice to the panel
- Liz Davies KC, Garden Court Chambers - legal advice
- Welsh Government officials
- Crisis Wales policy team: Debbie Thomas, Jasmine Harris, Jordan Brewer, Abi Renshaw
Experts by Experience
It was important to the panel that this legislative review should be directly informed by people with lived experience of homelessness in Wales.
Over the course of the panel, Cymorth Cymru consulted with more than 300 experts by experience.
In addition, Tai Pawb consulted with people with protected characteristics with lived experience of homelessness and reported back to the panel.
We are immensely grateful to everyone who shared their experiences. Their feedback shaped each of the panel’s discussions and, ultimately the panel’s recommendations to the Welsh Government.
Stakeholders
It was also important to panel members that this work reached out widely to stakeholders to understand what barriers exist in current systems and how these might work better in practice. Stakeholder engagement included:
- A series of stakeholder engagement events run by Crisis, which focused on key topics. Participants included representatives both from across the housing sector as well as representatives from other sectors.
- A Local Authority Representative group was established by the Welsh Government to provide feedback to the panel.
- Attendance at Community Housing Cymru’s Working Group on Homelessness to seek the views of housing association representatives.
- Attendance at a range of meetings to share the work of the panel and seek feedback, including direct meetings with specialist organisations representing groups who are at heightened risk of homelessness.
- The Welsh Government, Community Housing Cymru and the Welsh Local Government Association commissioned specific research into social housing allocations to homeless households to help inform the panel’s work.
Thank you to all the stakeholders who gave their time and expertise to help inform the panel’s work.
Panel meetings
The panel met for a year, starting in August 2022, to discuss the following areas:
- How existing homelessness and housing legislation could be improved
- The role of wider organisations in helping to end homelessness
- How the law could be improved for specific groups at heightened risk of homelessness
- Regulation and enforcement.
The panel’s discussions were rooted within the principles of early prevention, no one left out, and rapid rehousing (helping applicants to move into a settled home as swiftly as possible).
Meeting papers
Meeting 1: Purpose and overview of the panel
Meeting 2: Prevention and relief duties for local authorities
Meeting 3: Priority need, intentionality and local connection to access housing, and evictions
Meeting 4: Access to housing
Meeting 4.1: Access to housing (with a focus on temporary accommodation and suitability)
- Meeting 4.1 Briefing (see 'Meeting 4 Briefing.pdf')
- Meeting 4.1 Minutes.pdf
Meeting 5: Review: Considering recommendations on homelessness legislation
Meeting 6: Children and Youth Homelessness and Violence Against Women Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence (VAWDASV)
Meeting 7: The role of health and social care in preventing and ending homelessness
Meeting 8: Criminal justice systems and prevention of homelessness
Meeting 5.1: Temporary accommodation and suitability
- Meeting 5.1 Briefing (see 'Meeting 5 Briefing.pdf')
- Meeting 5.1 Minutes.pdf (to come)
Meeting 9: Review: Considering recommendations on wider legislation
- Meeting 9 Briefing.pdf
- Meeting 9 Minutes.pdf (to come)
Meeting 5.2: Allocations and evictions
- Meeting 5.2 Briefing (see 'Meeting 5 Briefing.pdf')
- Meeting 5.2 Minutes.pdf (to come)
Meeting 10: Regulation and enforcement
- Meeting 10 Briefing.pdf
- Meeting 10 Minutes.pdf (to come)
Meeting 11: Wrap-up and review
- Meeting 11 Minutes.pdf (to come)
Contact us
If you have any questions about the panel's work, please email erp@crisis.org.uk.
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Cymraeg
Mae’r panel wedi cyhoeddi ei adroddiad sy’n nodi ei argymhellion ar gyfer newid deddfwriaethol i Lywodraeth Cymru.
Mae Llywodraeth Cymru hefyd wedi nodi ei chynlluniau ei hun ar gyfer cyflwyno newid deddfwriaethol yn yr ymgynghoriad ar y Papur Gwyn hwn.
Yn yr adran hon
Trosolwg
Fel rhan o gynllun gweithredu Llywodraeth Cymru i roi diwedd ar ddigartrefedd, fe wnaeth y Gweinidog Julie James wahodd Crisis i gynnull Panel Adolygu Arbenigol i ystyried sut gallai newid deddfwriaethol helpu i roi diwedd ar ddigartrefedd yng Nghymru.
Dan gadeiryddiaeth yr Athro Suzanne Fitzpatrick o Brifysgol Heriot-Watt, roedd y panel yn cynnwys cynrychiolwyr o’r trydydd sector, y byd academaidd, cymdeithasau tai ac awdurdodau lleol. Fe wnaethant gyfarfod am flwyddyn, gan ddechrau ym mis Awst 2022.
Lluniwyd adroddiad y panel drwy ymgysylltu’n eang ag arbenigwyr drwy brofiad, yn ogystal â gweithwyr proffesiynol o’r sector tai a’r tu hwnt.
Mae’r adroddiad yn cyflwyno pecyn o ddiwygiadau arfaethedig i Weinidogion Cymru a allai chwarae rhan bwysig yn yr ymgais i roi diwedd ar ddigartrefedd ledled Cymru.
Pwy oedd yn rhan o’r Panel Adolygu Arbenigol?
Aelodau'r Panel
Cadeiriwyd y panel gan yr Athro Suzanne Fitzpatrick. Fel Cyfarwyddwr y Sefydliad Polisi Cymdeithasol, Tai, Ymchwil Cydraddoldeb (i-Sphere) ym Mhrifysgol Heriot-Watt, mae gan yr Athro Fitzpatrick brofiad helaeth mewn ymchwil i ddigartrefedd ledled Prydain.
Roedd aelodau’r panel yn cynrychioli amrywiaeth o leisiau o bob rhan o’r sector tai, gan gynnwys y trydydd sector, awdurdodau lleol, gwasanaethau digartrefedd, cymdeithasau tai a’r byd academaidd. Roedd aelodau’r panel fel a ganlyn:
Cadeirydd: Yr Athro Suzanne Fitzpatrick, Brifysgol Heriot-Watt.
Aelodau'r Panel
- Matt Downie MBE, Crisis
- Yr Athro Peter Mackie, Prifysgol Caerdydd
- Jennie Bibbings, Shelter Cymru
- Katie Dalton, Cymorth Cymru
- Jim McKirdle, Cymdeithas Llywodraeth Leol Cymru (CLlLC)
- Angela Bowen, Cyngor Sir Gâr
- Sam Parry, Cyngor Conwy
- Emily James, Cyngor Sir Penfro
- Clarissa Corbisiero, Cartrefi Cymunedol Cymru
- Nazia Azad, Tai Pawb
Cefnogaeth a chyngor i'r panel
- Liz Davies KC, Garden Court Chambers - cyngor cyfreithiol
- Tîm Polisi Crisis Cymru: Debbie Thomas, Jasmine Harris, Jordan Brewer, Abi Renshaw
- Swyddogion Llywodraeth Cymru
Arbenigwyr drwy Brofiad
Roedd hi’n bwysig i’r panel y dylai’r adolygiad deddfwriaethol hwn gael ei lywio’n uniongyrchol gan bobl sydd â phrofiad uniongyrchol o ddigartrefedd yng Nghymru. Yn ystod cyfnod y panel, ymgynghorodd Cymorth Cymru â mwy na 300 o arbenigwyr drwy brofiad.
Ar ben hynny, bu Tai Pawb yn ymgynghori â phobl â nodweddion gwarchodedig sydd â phrofiad uniongyrchol o ddigartrefedd ac fe wnaethant adrodd yn ôl i’r panel.
Rydyn ni’n hynod ddiolchgar i bawb a rannodd eu profiadau. Roedd eu hadborth yn llywio pob un o drafodaethau’r panel ac, yn y pen draw, argymhellion y panel i Lywodraeth Cymru.
Rhanddeiliaid
Roedd hi hefyd yn bwysig i aelodau’r panel bod y gwaith hwn yn cysylltu’n eang â rhanddeiliaid i ddeall pa rwystrau sy’n bodoli yn y systemau presennol a sut gallai’r rhain weithio’n well yn ymarferol. Roedd ymgysylltu â rhanddeiliaid yn cynnwys:
- Cyfres o ddigwyddiadau ymgysylltu â rhanddeiliaid a gynhaliwyd gan Crisis, a oedd yn canolbwyntio ar bynciau allweddol. Roedd y cyfranogwyr yn cynnwys cynrychiolwyr o bob rhan o’r sector tai yn ogystal â chynrychiolwyr o sectorau eraill.
- Sefydlwyd grŵp Cynrychiolwyr Awdurdodau Lleol gan Lywodraeth Cymru i roi adborth i’r panel.
- Bod yn bresennol yng Ngweithgor Tai Cymunedol Cymru ar Ddigartrefedd i geisio barn cynrychiolwyr cymdeithasau tai.
- Mynychu amrywiaeth o gyfarfodydd i rannu gwaith y panel a gofyn am adborth, gan gynnwys cyfarfodydd uniongyrchol gyda sefydliadau arbenigol sy’n cynrychioli grwpiau sydd mewn mwy o berygl o fod yn ddigartref.
- Roedd Llywodraeth Cymru, Cartrefi Cymunedol Cymru a Chymdeithas Llywodraeth Leol Cymru wedi comisiynu ymchwil benodol i’r modd y mae tai cymdeithasol yn cael eu dyrannu i aelwydydd digartref er mwyn helpu i lywio gwaith y panel.
Diolch i’r holl randdeiliaid a roddodd eu hamser a’u harbenigedd i helpu i lywio gwaith y panel.
Cyfarfodydd y panel
Fe wnaeth y panel gyfarfod am flwyddyn, gan ddechrau ym mis Awst 2022, i drafod y meysydd canlynol:
- Sut y gellid gwella’r ddeddfwriaeth bresennol ar ddigartrefedd a deddfwriaeth tai
- Cyfrifoldeb sefydliadau ehangach o ran helpu i roi diwedd ar ddigartrefedd
- Sut y gellid gwella’r gyfraith ar gyfer grwpiau penodol sydd mewn mwy o berygl o fod yn ddigartref
- Rheoleiddio a gorfodi.
Roedd trafodaethau’r panel yn seiliedig ar egwyddorion atal cynnar, bod neb yn cael ei adael allan, ac ailgartrefu cyflym (sef helpu ceiswyr i symud i gartref sefydlog cyn gynted â phosibl).
Papurau cyfarfodydd
Cyfarfod 1: Pwrpas a throsolwg o'r panel
Cyfarfod 2: Dyletswyddau atal a rhyddhad ar gyfer awdurdodau lleol
Cyfarfod 3: Angen blaenoriaethol, bwriadoldeb a chysylltiad lleol i gael mynediad i dai
Cyfarfod 4: Mynediad i dai
Cyfarfod 4.1: Mynediad i dai (gan ganolbwyntio ar lety dros dro ac addasrwydd)
- Cyfarfod 4.1 Briffio (gweler 'Cyfarfod 4 Briffio.pdf')
- Cyfarfod 4.1 Cofnodion.pdf
Cyfarfod 5: Adolygiad: Ystyried argymhellion ar ddeddfwriaeth digartrefedd
Cyfarfod 6: Plant a Phobl Ifanc Digartrefedd a Thrais yn Erbyn Menywod Cam-drin Domestig a Thrais Rhywiol (VAWDASV)
Cyfarfod 7: Rôl iechyd a gofal cymdeithasol wrth atal a rhoi terfyn ar ddigartrefedd
Cyfarfod 8: Systemau cyfiawnder troseddol ac atal digartrefedd
Cyfarfod 5.1: Llety dros dro ac addasrwydd
- Cyfarfod 5.1 Briffio (gweler 'Cyfarfod 5 Briffio.pdf')
- Cyfarfod 5.1 Cofnodion.pdf (i ddod)
Cyfarfod 9: Adolygiad: Ystyried argymhellion ar ddeddfwriaeth ehangach
- Cyfarfod 9 Briffio.pdf
- Cyfarfod 9 Cofnodion.pdf (i ddod)
Cyfarfod 5.2: Dyraniadau a throi allan
- Cyfarfod 5.2 Briffio (gweler 'Cyfarfod 5 Briffio.pdf')
- Cyfarfod 5.2 Cofnodion.pdf (i ddod)
Cyfarfod 10: Rheoleiddio a gorfodi
- Cyfarfod 10 Briffio.pdf
- Cyfarfod 10 Cofnodion.pdf (i ddod)
Cyfarfod 11: Gorffen ac adolygu
- Cyfarfod 11 Briffio.pdf (i ddod)
- Cyfarfod 11 Cofnodion.pdf (i ddod)
Cysylltu â ni
Os oes gennych chi unrhyw gwestiynau am waith y panel, anfonwch e-bost at erp@crisis.org.uk.