Housing Department
Homelessness: How we can help.
A guide to what we can and cannot do.
If you would like to know about our Review or Strategy for tackling homelessness, please see the end of this page.
What service do we offer? (back to top)
We appreciate this is a difficult time for you and we will do all we can to help.
Every year we deal with over 300 applications and enquiries. Our duties towards homeless people are set out in law.
If you apply as homeless we will carry out an assessment interview and decide how we can help you.
We have to consider whether we have a legal duty towards you, and:
- if so, how we will fulfil that duty
- if not, how else we can help you.
Please remember that, even if you think you are homeless or threatened with homelessness, we might not have a legal duty to find you a home. Also, even if we agree that we have a duty towards you, we might not always be able to give you the type of home you would like.
We have a legal duty to provide you with advice and assistance and wherever possible we will try and help you find a home. Also, we will where we can try and stop you from losing your home.
What happens first if I apply as homeless? (back to top)
You will have an interview with a Housing Officer who will consider your application under the Housing Act 1996, Part VII, as amended by the Homelessness Act 2002. This broadly means that we have a legal duty to make certain enquiries and tell you what we can do for you after that. We need to find out if:
- you are legally homeless or threatened with homelessness within the next 28 days
- you are eligible for accommodation or assistance under the law on homelessness
- we consider that you have a priority need as set out in law, e.g. you have young children, are pregnant or have a serious medical condition, and
- your homelessness is your own fault – for example, if you failed to pay your rent or mortgage when you had the money to do so, or left your accommodation before you legally had to, you may be intentionally homeless.
- you have a local connection with the Berwick-upon-Tweed Borough area, or if another council should be helping you.
The Housing Officer will explain all of the steps to you. In summary, they need to confirm that you:
- are homeless (including the reasons why)
- are eligible for assistance
- are in priority need,
- are not intentionally homeless, and, in most cases
- have a local connection.
You must tell us the truth and give us all the information we need. To protect people who are genuinely homeless, we will take legal action against you if you don’t do this. For example the reasons and circumstances which have lead you to become homeless.
The Housing Officer will ask you to sign your application form which will give us the authority to make necessary enquiries. For example, for information about your circumstances we may need to contact:
- * doctors * solicitors
- * landlords * other agencies.
- * police * social services
- * health visitors * probation
We will also need to check that you have lived at the previous addresses that you have given us.
The Housing Officer will need to see some documents/papers. These could include:
- * proof of your identity * full birth certificate
- * your tenancy agreement * proof of pregnancy
- * a Notice to Quit * Child Benefit books
- * court eviction papers * medical papers
- * financial statements.
You should also tell the Housing Officer:
- if you have any serious medical problems, and
- if there are any areas where it would be dangerous for you to live.
We will need to confirm this and we may need to ask other people such as your doctor or the police.
We will assess your case as quickly as possible but some cases can take longer to assess than others. Please feel free to phone the Housing Officer dealing with your case, who will be happy to update you on progress.
What if you decide I am not homeless? (back to top)
If your Housing Officer decides that you are not homeless or threatened with homelessness according to the legal definition, we have no duty to provide you with accommodation.
What if you decide I am threatened with homelessness? (back to top)
If your housing officer decides you are threatened with homelessness they will try and stop you becoming homeless. We will tell you what you can do to protect your rights to stay in your home. If necessary we will refer you to a solicitor or an advice agency such as the Citizens Advice Bureau.
If it transpires at a later date that you are going to be homeless you will need to contact a housing officer immediately to inform them about your change of circumstances.
What if you decide I am not eligible for assistance? (back to top)
The Government has decided that some asylum seekers, some people who are subject to immigration control, and people who are not usually resident in the United Kingdom are not eligible for housing accommodation or assistance.
This may mean that we cannot do anything for you under homelessness legislation even if you are homeless and have children. You may not even be allowed to apply for a Council house. Please talk to the Housing Office about this. They will explain how it affects your housing application and what help you can get.
What if you decide I am not in priority need? (back to top)
We understand that everyone who approaches us has some form of housing problem. If we do not accept you as priority homeless we will offer you housing advice to help you find a new home. The housing advice could include options concerning the private rented sector and / or housing associations.
What if you decide I am intentionally homeless? (back to top)
If you are homeless through your own fault, we have no duty to find you long-term accommodation. We will only help you by giving advice, assistance and short-term accommodation, if you need it. We will talk to you about other housing options you have.
Examples of being intentionally homeless include:
- Not paying the rent though having the means to do so
- Loosing your home because of anti – social behaviour
What if you decide I have no local connection? (back to top)
You must have a local connection with the Berwick Borough area. If you do not have a local connection with us we may refer you to another area, where you have connections for re-housing.
Where there is a risk of violence if you return to your home, but do not have a connection with the Berwick Borough, you will not be referred to the area which you left.
Our customer service promises (back to top)
The Housing Unit is open during normal office hours every weekday. Due to the high level of work we usually ask that you make an appointment to see a Housing Officer which will usually be made for the following morning after you contact us. In an emergency we will usually see you there and then. We can also arrange to see you at your home if it is not possible for you to come to the office.
What can I do as a customer to help you provide a good service? (back to top)
- Give us the information we ask you for as soon as possible
- Always make an appointment to see your Housing Officer
- Attend appointments on time and with all the information we have requested
- Tell us about any changes in your circumstances
- Be polite and courteous to us.
Your right to request a review (back to top)
You have the right to request a review of certain decisions made following the outcome of your homelessness application. You can get details of our review procedure from your Housing Officer.
If you accept that I am homeless and a priority case, what happens? (back to top)
We must help anyone who is homeless, eligible for assistance, in priority need and not intentionally homeless to find suitable accommodation. Unfortunately, a council or housing association home can only be offered to people who qualify for the housing register, (waiting list) and this can take a long time. In the meantime, we may arrange bed-and-breakfast, hostel or in exceptional cases other temporary accommodation. We recognise that bed-and-breakfast or hostel accommodation is not ideal and we will try to find you a suitable home as quickly as possible.
What can you do for me if you do not accept that I am priority homeless? (back to top)
We understand that everyone who approaches us has some form of housing problem. If we do not accept you as priority homeless we will offer you housing advice to help you find a new home. The housing advice could include options concerning the private rented sector and/or housing associations.
What can I do if I am not satisfied? (back to top)
We do our best to give a good service but it is not always possible to help everyone in the way they would like. If you are unhappy with the service you have received you may use our formal complaints procedure.
How to complain (back to top)
If you have a complaint, please speak to the Housing Officer dealing with your application. If your complaint is not settled to your satisfaction, you can register a formal complaint. Please ask the Housing Officer for our complaints leaflet ‘Your Right to Complain’. The leaflet will guide you through the steps of making a complaint.
Other ways of complaining (back to top)
If you are still dissatisfied after going through our formal complaints procedure, you may also approach a Councillor or complain to the Local Government Ombudsman.
How can I help you? (back to top)
We will try to give you the best service possible, within our resources and legal duties, but regrettably we cannot provide a home to everyone who applies to us. Please show courtesy towards our staff. If a customer abuses or harasses a member of staff in any way, including using offensive language, assistance may be withdrawn.
Homelessness Review (back to top)
The Homelessness Act 2002 introduces new duties for councils to assist the increasing number of homeless people. The government is promoting change in the approach to homelessness, away from reacting to homelessness as it occurs to preventing homelessness wherever possible.
In order to meet the requirements of the Homelessness Act 2002 Berwick-upon-Tweed Borough Council have carried out a review of homelessness in the Borough. The review takes a comprehensive view of the current picture of homelessness focusing on the current provision and identifying where needs are not being met.
The homelessness review will be used to formulate a strategy, which was published in July 2003 and is operational for a period of five years. The strategy will be kept under review and amended, following appropriate consultation where necessary. A new strategy will then be published within five years of the last one.
Homelessness Strategy (back to top)
This Homelessness Strategy is based on the review that has been carried out on levels of homelessness and provision of services for homeless people within the Berwick-upon-Tweed Borough in accordance with the Homelessness Act 2002.
The aim of the strategy is to provide broad objectives which Berwick-upon-Tweed Borough Council and other organisations and agencies can work towards during the next 5 years. Within the broad objectives are a number of specific actions, which will contribute to the achievement of these objectives.
|
