Myth-buster: The Council Can Easily Find You a Home

Here at CENS our main aim is to help people experiencing homelessness find suitable accommodation. Anyone in this situation deserves a fresh start, to have somewhere to live and not face years of being on the streets. There can be an assumption that the council will just give homeless people a house, but this is not the case.

Helping to resettle our residents

Some CENS residents rely on their local council for financial assistance with the first month’s rent and deposit. This scheme helps them get into private accommodation. They can also be set up on their local authority’s bidding process for social housing. 

However, due to the current housing crisis and lack of social properties the waiting list for bidding in this area (depending on banding) has risen sharply recently. Many single people can wait years until they are offered accommodation.

Priority Need

Some people are deemed ‘priority need’ and may be eligible for more immediate assistance via their local authority. This decision would be made based on an assessment, where certain criteria must be met. Such as:

• You are pregnant, or a member of your household is pregnant.
• You have a child, below the age of 16 or aged 16-18 and in full time education, who is dependent on you and either normally resides with you or is expected to reside with you. 
• You are 16 or 17 years old and deemed a ‘relevant child’ or a child in need to whom a local authority owes a duty under section 20 of the Children’ Act 1989.
• You are a person who is aged 18 to 20 who was formerly looked after, accommodated or fostered between the ages of 16 and 18 
• You are homeless because of an emergency such as fire, flood, or a similar disaster.
• You are vulnerable (see definition of ‘vulnerable’ below) as the result of:
• Old age. 
• Mental illness, handicap or physical disability.
• Being a person aged 21 or over and were formerly looked after, accommodated or fostered.
• Serving in this country’s armed forces.
• Serving time in prison or having been committed for contempt of court or any other kindred offence or remanded in custody.
• Having left your home because of violence or threats of violence that was likely to be carried out.
• Another special reason that puts you at a greater risk of harm than most people.

Test of Vulnerability

The council will also apply a test of vulnerability. This test asks whether as a result of being made homeless, you are ‘significantly more vulnerable than an ordinary person’. It is acknowledged that anyone who is homeless is vulnerable and that virtually everyone who is homeless suffers harm. However, they must consider whether you are significantly more vulnerable than the ordinary person if made homeless.

Resettled Resident Outcomes

It is vitally important to our charity to resettle our residents into secure accommodation when they are ready to live more independently. As you can see from the chart below, numbers being resettled into council/housing association accommodation are far lower due to the lack of social housing.  Many of our residents are moved into private or supported housing. We will only be able to increase numbers of people moving into social housing if the government builds more houses. 

If you’d like to learn more about our local council’s housing assistance for people who have become homeless click here.

To support our shelter, you can make a donation to our charity and support people facing homelessness by clicking here.