Homelessness in the United Kingdom

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

1 Overview
2 Gatekeeping
3 Notes
4 External links

[edit] Overview

All local authorities have a legal duty to provide 24-hour advice to homeless people, or those who are at risk of becoming homeless within 28 days (two months in Scotland).

A person must not be intentionally homeless, and people arriving from abroad (including British citizens who have lived abroad for some time) are excluded. If a person does not have any connections with the local area, then they might be required to return to the home area.

Even if the local authority decides a person is not homeless, it still must provide advice and assistance in finding accommodation, or provide a temporary place to stay while they find a permanent home. Although enquiries are being made about circumstances.

People will have a "priority need" for being provided with permanent housing if any of the following apply: pregnant, have dependent children, homeless because of an emergency such as a flood or a fire, aged 16 or 17 (except in Northern Ireland), elderly, have a physical or mental illness or disability, are at risk of exploitation or have been in care, are at risk of domestic violence or other threats of violence, homeless after leaving hospital, prison or the armed forces.

The accommodation may not necessarily be provided by the council: often bed and breakfast hotels are used for temporary accommodation, and Housing Associations for permanent accommodation.

Practical advice regarding homelessness can be obtained through the websites listed below. The Citizens Advice Bureau and some other charities also offer advice in person, by telephone, or by email. The Shelter freephone helpline (open 8am to midnight every day of the year) provides advice about homelessness and other housing problems from the telephone number given on their website. In an emergency, a person contacts a local council.

[edit] Gatekeeping

In April 2006 the Housing Minister Yvette Cooper MP wrote to local authorities in response to criticism that a gatekeeping approach (whereby local authorities do not take homelessness applications) ^[1] to homelessness applications was taking place. ^[2] The letter reminded local authorities of their statutory duty in this regard.