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Prevention of Homelessness and Temporary Accomodation
Prevention of Homelessness and Temporary Accomodation
- Where can I seek advice?
- How do I apply for accommodation to the Council?
- Will the Council provide me with accommodation if I am homeless?
- What happens if an application is unsuccessful?
- What shall I do if I have got nowhere to stay tonight?
- What do I do if I do not meet the criteria for accommodation?
- What will advice agencies assist me with in an emergency?
- Temporary Accommodation
- Information for under 25s
On this page you will find information regarding advice on preventing homelessness.
Where can I seek advice?
If you are homeless threatened with homelessness or are unable to remain in your current home you can seek advice from the Housing Advice Service. We can provide you with advice on your rights to occupy your home, your options for re-housing and offer practical assistance in preventing your homelessness. For details of other advice providers within the Royal Borough of Kingston please go to the Directory for Private Sector Tenants and Landlords link at the foot of this page.
If you are homeless, threatened with homelessness or are unable to remain in your current home you can make an application for accommodation with the Council. However, being homeless does not give you a right to a permanent Council home. The Housing Act 1996 (Part VII) places obligations on a Council with regard to homeless households but in most cases a Council will only provide advice rather than providing a home.
How do I apply for accommodation to the Council?
If you wish to make an application for accommodation on an emergency basis to the Council you can contact the Council’s Homelessness Assessments Team.
You can contact the Assessments Team at:
Homelessness Assessments Team
Guildhall One
St James' Road
Kingston
KT1 1EU
Or phone: 020 8547 5460
The Assessments Team is open: Monday to Thursday 08.45am to 5.00pm & Friday 08.45am to 4.45pm.
If you require the help of the Council outside of normal office hours you can contact their service emergency number on 020 8770 5000.
Pre-arranged appointments can be made with the Assessments Team and are conducted in secure private rooms within Guildhall One.
If a household is unable to access the Guildhall due to mobility problems home visits can be arranged.
The Assessments Team can also secure the assistance of Community Interpreters, sign language and hearing induction loops on prior request at an interview. Information provided by the Assessments Team can also be translated into community languages and Braille.
Will the Council provide me with accommodation if I am homeless?
To qualify for accommodation in an emergency the Council will need to establish that you meet the following criteria
Eligibility
A person is not eligible for housing assistance if s/he
- Is not a British Citizen and/or does not have full rights to live here because of immigration status
- Is not considered to be habitually resident in the UK
Homeless/threatened with homelessness
A person is homeless if s/he
- Has no accommodation in the UK or elsewhere that is available for his/her occupation and that s/he has a legal right to occupy
- Has accommodation but cannot secure entry to it
- Has accommodation but it is a moveable structure
- Has accommodation but it would not be reasonable for her/him to occupy it
- A person is threatened with homelessness if s/he is likely to become homeless within the next 28 days.
Priority Need
A person is in priority need if
- She is pregnant or if a dependent child live, or might reasonably be expected to live with her/him
- S/he has become homeless or is threatened with homelessness as a result of a flood, fire or other disaster
- S/he is aged 16 or 17 and is not a ‘relevant child’ or a child in need who would be covered by the Children Act 1989 (except a person who is in full-time education and whose term-time accommodation is not available during a vacation – a ‘relevant student’)
- S/he is aged under 21 and was looked after, accommodated or fostered between the ages of 16 and 18 (except a ‘relevant student’)
- S/he is aged 21 or over and is vulnerable as a result of having been looked after, accommodated or fostered between the ages of 16 and 18 (except a ‘relevant student’)
- S/he is vulnerable as a result of having served a custodial sentence, being committed for contempt of court or other offence or being remanded in custody
- S/he is vulnerable as a result of ceasing to occupy accommodation because of violence or harassment from another person or threats of violence from another person that are likely to be carried out
Intentionality
A person is considered intentionally homeless if s/he
- Deliberately did or not do something which caused her/him to leave housing, which s/he could otherwise have stayed in and it would have been reasonable to stay.
Local connection
A person has a local connection if s/he
- Has lived in the area by choice for a certain time (usually for six of the last twelve months or three of the last five years)
- Has a family connection with the area
- Works in the area
- Has a connection with the area for ‘another special reason’.
When making an application the Homelessness Assessments Team would ask that you bring to the appointment certain documentary information including:
- proof of identity
- birth and marriage certificates
- divorce papers
- proof of pregnancy
- proof of income and entitlement to benefits
- tenancy agreements
- rent book
- mortgage and secured loan agreements
- notices
- court papers
Failure to bring these documents could affect the progress of any application.
What happens if an application is unsuccessful?
Where an application under homelessness legislation is unsuccessful an applicant will receive a decision letter explaining the basis of the decision.
If you disagree with a negative decision made on your application you have the right to submit a request for review within 21 days of that decision letter.
A senior officer not involved with the original decision will deal with a review and notify the applicant of their decision.
The Homelessness Assessment Officer will give advice on your rights to a review where a negative decision is made.
Where an application is unsuccessful an applicant is offered the ability to seek advice and assistance from the Housing Advice Service to secure a home. A household can also seek advice from other local and national agencies - please go to the Directory for Private Sector Tenants and Landlords link at the foot of this page.
What shall I do if I have got nowhere to stay tonight?
If you need somewhere to stay immediately you can apply to the Council’s Homelessness Assessments Team.
What do I do if I do not meet the criteria for accommodation?
You can seek advice and assistance locally from the Council’s Housing Advice Service or Kingston Churches Action on Homelessness.
You can seek advice by ringing Shelterline on freephone (24hours) 0808 800 4444.
Finding a place temporarily with family and friends might provide you with additional time to secure settled and secure accommodation.
What will advice agencies assist me with in an emergency?
If you are homeless tonight they might be able to secure you a place in a hostel or night shelter.
This is accommodation that you might not have to find ‘advance’ rent and deposit payments but will possibly offer only very basic facilities.
This would not be available to households with children and there might be other restrictions on who hostels and night-shelters will accept. These restrictions might include households ineligible for public funds.
Advice agencies will also offer advice on your long-term housing options both in the public and private sector.