Page 92 - Solving Housing Disputes

portals are mobile accessible. Lessons could be learnt from the StreetLink App
which allows homeless people and members of the public to report people who
are sleeping rough so that they can be put in touch with a range of services. 262

3.66 Our Working Party wants to see a standard best practice in digital design across
local authority portals, to ensure people can get advice, assistance, information
and easily upload necessary information on accessible and friendly digital
systems. Best practice should be informed by rigorous user testing with people
experiencing or at risk of homelessness and the services that support homeless
people. We recommend that user-facing digital components of local
authority portals should feature design principles which make them
accessible and navigable for lay users. These should include prominent
signposting to sources of independent advice and information, mobile
accessibility, the ability for a user to save and track their progress, as well
as screens which feature white space and are easy to read for those with
vision impairments and literacy problems.

3.67 Promoting a uniform approach to best practice in digital design across local
authorities requires a co-ordinated response. As we explain in Chapter 4, from
2020 onwards, MHCLG will be establishing an online portal through which
housing disputes can be brought. It is likely to be well placed to provide
governance and leadership over best practice for local authority portals. There
are a few possibilities to ensure best practice. The code of guidance could set out
prescriptive guidelines for best practice in digital design, or the MHCLG could
establish a national working group with local authorities to develop best practice
in digital design or they could establish a sole portal, which all local authorities
could sign up to. The key point is that there must be a co-ordinated response that
emphasises best practice in digital design. We recommend the Ministry of
Housing, Communities and Local Government take the lead on best
practice through digital design across local authority homelessness portals.

3.68 Our Working Party is also keen to ensure that to the extent practicable, data can
ensure transparency and openness around homelessness decision making. While

262 See, Liam Geraghty, What happens when you refer a rough sleeper with StreetLink, (25 April 2018),
The Big Issue, https://www.bigissue.com/latest/what-happens-when-you-refer-a-rough-sleeper-with-
streetlink/

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