How we assess your homeless situation
First, we'll make an inital assessment (we call this triage) to establish the basics of your situation.
We do this by reviewing the information you gave us when you told us you're at risk of being homeless. This means we can make sure our advice best suits your situation and personal circumstances.
Next, we'll contact some people so we can decide how best to deal with your case. These people could be your landlord. family member or other agencies that you may be involved with.
This helps us to understand:
- if you are eligible for help under the government’s ‘Persons from Abroad’ eligibility rules
- if you are homeless or threatened with homelessness, according to the law
If we can't help you quickly, one of our housing officers will work with you. We will ask you to complete a homeless assistance form and provide further information to help us decide how best to help you. You will be asked to provide the following information:
- homeless assistance form
- ID for you and other household members
- proof of homelessness
- medical information on diagnosed physical, sensory or mental health impairments
Once we receive this information, we will arrange a Homeless Interview. The homeless interview should be conducted within 10 working days of receipt of the information listed above.
What your homeless interview will tell us
After your housing officer has run through the interview with you, we should know:
- your housing circumstances and cause of your housing problem
- your accommodation needs
- the support needs of you and your household members
Your housing officer will also explain our legal housing duty.
How long the interview will take
The interview will take approximately an hour and a half.
We can do this:
- online (using Microsoft Teams)
- over the phone
- in person (for emergencies, by appointment only)
If your housing officer needs more info
Your housing officer might need to ask you for more documents to support your application, or they may need to talk to some more people.
When you need to supply the info requested
You'll have 10 working days to provide your documents. You can do this by emailing your housing officer. If you don’t, we may have to close your case.
What happens after you speak to your housing officer
Your housing officer will:
- find out if we can legally help you
- work to either stop you becoming homeless, or find you a home if you already are
It might take a while
This work can take some time, depending on what your housing officer needs to do, so they might not contact you for a bit. Don’t worry, they're doing all they can.
When we get back in touch
We'll send you a written notification of all decisions we've made on your application. If we decide we can legally help you, we'll give you a personal housing plan.
This plan lists of all the actions we both must make to try and prevent you from losing your home, or to help you find one.
Your plan and circumstances will be kept under review.
If you disagree with our decision
If you ask us for help with homelessness, you're entitled to a written decision.
You also have the right to appeal our decision.
To appeal, ask for a homeless review.