We have to offer help to all eligible applicants who are facing homelessness Under the Homelessness Reduction Act.
Under the act, we have a responsibility to carry out two main duties:
The duty to take reasonable steps to prevent homelessness
We have to help people who are at risk of losing their accommodation within 56 days. We don’t ask people to wait for this time limit and encourage them to contact us earlier if possible.
Our support can include helping them to stay in their current home or helping them to find a new one.
The duty to take reasonable steps to relieve homelessness
We have to help people who are already homeless to secure accommodation. It doesn’t matter if they are in priority need or became homeless intentionally.
However, this doesn’t mean that there is a guarantee of housing for all.
If neither of these steps work and a household remains homeless we have to decide whether there is any further duty to provide assistance.
Personal Housing Plan
If you are homeless and ask us for help, we will assess your needs and circumstances to create a Personal Housing Plan.
Your Personal Housing Plan sets out the steps you will take and what we will do to resolve the situation.
