Social exclusion.

Social exclusion means, the conditions and circumstances that can arise when people or areas suffer from a combination of problems such as unemployment, poor skills, low incomes, poor housing, high crime environments, bad health and family breakdown.

The Social Exclusion Unit was set up by the Prime Minister to help improve Governments work on reducing social exclusion by producing 'joined-up solutions to joined-up problems'.

Since it was set up in 1997, the SEU has published 28 reports in the following major policy areas: truancy and school exclusion; rough sleeping; teenage pregnancy; 16-18 year olds not in education, employment or training, neighbourhood renewal and reducing re-offending by ex-prisoners

The work of the Social Exclusion Unit is one part of the Government’s aim to tackling social exclusion. Tackling social exclusion has been an important part in budgets and spending reviews. The Government has committed itself to annual reporting on its anti-poverty strategy in Opportunity for All.

The SEU's work has helped to change the way social exclusion is understood within Government and more generally by other people.

They help in preventing social exclusion by making sure that mainstream services deliver for everyone, and reintegrating people who are severely disadvantaged.

Other Government departments are now using these reports, hence real signs of improvement in the lives of people who are socially excluded are shown.

For example:

There are more than two thirds less people sleeping rough on the streets than there were in 1998

The number of children excluded from school fell by one third by the year 1999/2000

Conception rates among teenagers are still falling increasingly

15% more teenage parents are now in education, training or employment thanthey were in 1994

The Connexions Service helped 17,180 young people identified as not being in education, training or employment to settle successfully into a job, training or full-time education

Much of the SEU's work is about improving opportunities for socially excluded children and young people — and about preventing a new generation growing up facing social exclusion. It lays down 105 strong commitments, which will help towards meeting the Government's aim that within ten to twenty years, no one should be seriously disadvantaged by where they live. It includes targets to improve employment levels, educational levels, health and housing and to reduce crime ...

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The Connexions Service helped 17,180 young people identified as not being in education, training or employment to settle successfully into a job, training or full-time education

In March 2002, the Rough Sleepers Unit, which tried to tackle rough sleeping nationally became part of a new Homelessness Directorate, They helped form the Bed and Breakfast Unit and a new team working with local authorities. The Homelessness Directorate looks at wider problems like hidden homelessness and joins up policy at a national level. It is now part of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister.

The SEU has been working with other Government departments to cut rates of re-offending by ex-prisoners, in particular by increasing levels of employment and lowering homelessness.

For those serving short prison sentences in particular, rates of reconviction are very high. Around three-quarters of those who have served sentences for burglary or theft are convicted of a further offence within two years of release. They believe that one of the best ways to reduce re-offending is by helping someone to stay in employment. But poor literacy and numeracy skills mean that 90 per cent of those leaving prison do so without any immediate prospect of employment, while two-fifths will be homeless.

In April 2000, the Government published a consultation paper about its

Proposals to make sure everyone in the country has the opportunity of a

decent home.

"Quality and Choice: A Decent Home for All", the housing green paper,

a great deal of interest was shown by almost 1,099 people, and organizations wrote

in to give their views on the Government’s proposals.

The green paper organization’s aim is to help towards giving everyone the

opportunity of a decent home. According to them that is the Government’s objective.

But many have bad experiences with there housing. Too many are in poor accommodation. Too many face real difficulty in finding a decent and affordable home. Too many have no choice and control over where they live. Choice in social housing is distorted when rents differ for no reason at all, some people stay homeless, and many of those who want to own their homes have problems getting onto the housing ladder.

The green paper organisation seek improvements in the quality of housing services, whether they are provided by lenders, builders, insurers or landlords.

Their aim is to offer everyone the opportunity of a decent home and so promote

social cohesion, well being and self-dependence. This Green Paper sets out

the strategy for housing.

Most people in Britain today are well housed according to the green paper organization,The majority own their own homes, but many rent from local authorities, housing associations or private Landlords. Despite every thing these people still have concerns about the cost of housing,

Since the mid-nineteenth century, a succession of Government initiatives has

promoted improvements in the condition of housing. Although

housing in England is generally old – nearly half is more than 50 years old,

and a quarter dates from before the First World War , less than 1% lacks

any of the basic necessities of a kitchen sink, a bath or shower in a bathroom,

a wash hand basin, hot and cold water to each of these and an indoor toilet.

Nearly 90% of homes are now centrally heated.

Although Local authorities and registered social landlords provide housing at affordable

Rents now, there are a number of Government schemes that help in low-cost

homeownership. There is also help for individuals and families who need the help with their housing costs is available in the form of Housing Benefit, and benefit help with mortgage interest payments. Together with the Government’s economic policies, its responsibilities, and public and private investment in housing, these policies help to ensure that everyone has the opportunity of having a decent home.

Therefore People who are decently housed have a stronger sense of security and place. According to the green paper organisation, Decent housing, strengthens communities and provides a better setting in which to raise families. It improves health and educational achievement and provides a long-term asset that can be passed on to future generations.

Yet despite the improvements that have been achieved in the last 150 years, a

large minority of people still face problems with housing:

There are too many who live in poor-quality housing or find that their landlord,

private or public, does not provide a proper service. It would cost about £19 billion just to bring the worst council housing up to a decent modern standard.

Many people live on estates, which have been left to deteriorate for too long, and which contribute to ill health, crime and poverty.

Many families and individuals, including the elderly and vulnerable

people, live in housing that is not energy efficient and in which it is

difficult to keep warm.

Most public-sector tenants have not been given a choice, they are offered housing on a take-it-or-leave-it basis and charged rents.

The most disadvantaged have often been concentrated in the poorest housing.

Some homeowners, including many retired people, cannot afford to maintain their own homes,and Others who have bought cannot afford mortgage payments, for example after losing a job, some people are homeless, or even sleeping rough.

They are however trying to tackle under-investment and improving the quality of housing and housing management in many ways. Some of them being for example:

Introducing the Capital Receipts Initiative and increasing investment

in housing so that nearly £5 billion extra is being made available

Between 1997 and 2002, they helped to improve poor housing conditions,especially council housing They have announced proposals for a compulsory licensing scheme to protect tenants in houses in multiple occupation, in which the worst health and safety conditions are often found; and introducing Tenant Participation options that will help give council tenants a real say in the management of their homes.

Tackling social exclusion is not just a job for Government .More work should be done in partnership with local authorities and voluntary organisations.(although quite a lot of effort is being currently made)

But it is not enough. In particular, the reformation of public services so that they deliver for vulnerable groups. That means balancing programmes that can be targeted at excluded people with better mainstream services.

For example, the Unit’s report on transport and social exclusion shows

how policies aimed at tackling social exclusion can reinforce those that tackle

poverty. If people have better access to transport, they can access learning

and jobs, and move from benefits into work.