Are you 'Homeless'?
These pages show you the type of questions we will be asking you. The Council has a legal duty to provide people who are homeless, or threatened with homelessness, with advice and appropriate assistance. In non-emergency cases the Council will arrange for you to talk to a trained Housing Officer about your situation.
The type of assistance you are entitled to depends on your circumstances, and how you became homeless. We are required to find out whether the Council has a duty to help you if you claim to be homeless. The legal requirements of the Council are set out in The Housing Act 1996 (Click here to view the Housing Act 1996), as amended by the Homelessness Act 2002 (Click here to view the Homelessness Act 2002).
There are five main enquiries we need to make, to find out what help we have a duty to provide you with. It is important that you provide us with full, and truthful, information when requested. The five main enquiries are listed below:
- Are you homeless?
- Are you eligible for assistance?
- Are you in priority need?
- Are you intentionally homeless?
- Do you have a local connection?
When you approach us you will be asked to fill in a 'Homeless Application Form', we will help you fill the form in if you wish. We will then consider the situation and make a decision based on the information obtained in relation to the five enquiries. All applicants will be notified of any decisions in writing. If you disagree with the decision made you can ask for a review within 21 days or receipt. If you wish to find out more on the homeless application process click here to find out more on the five main enquiries.
NB. These pages are for guidance only. Please seek professional advice before acting on any information.
