On the Frontline: The Gatekeeper in Statutory Homelessness Services

In light of earlier findings linking resource shortages to the practise of illegitimate gatekeeping in statutory frontline homelessness services, this article draws on an implementation literature to revisit this topic following the recent economic downturn and related political austerity agenda. Following previous research, it was found that unlawful gatekeeping was practised chiefly in response to resource scarcity, alongside related pressures due to higher level performance measures. However, its use was also found, albeit to a lesser extent, to be due to miscomprehension around relevant legislation and the influence of individual or peer-level values. Overall, the findings provided a strong indication that illegitimate gatekeeping has worsened in the current climate due in large part to the twofold challenge of diminishing resources, alongside an increase in service users.