Applications & Assessments

Introduction

This Block sets out how you can aid individuals who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. The process begins when an individual approaches their local council seeking help due to homelessness or the threat of losing their accommodation. Upon receiving an application, the local authority conducts a thorough assessment of the individual’s circumstances to determine their eligibility for support under the law. The assessment process encompasses various factors, including the applicant’s housing situation, financial resources, vulnerabilities, and any dependent children or other household members.

Local authorities will also consider whether the applicant falls into a “priority need” category, which includes pregnant women, families with dependent children, individuals with disabilities, and others deemed particularly vulnerable. This assessment serves as the foundation for determining the level of support and accommodation the local authority is legally obligated to provide, ensuring that those in need receive timely assistance and access to appropriate housing solutions.

When you have completed this Block, you should have a good understanding of the applications and assessments a housing officer must undertake when considering applications from households who are or who claim to be homeless.

The Block should take 22 to 24 hours to complete, with 4 to 5 hours of follow-up readings.

At the end of the Block there are two Assessments to test your understanding of Eligibility and Homeless Applications & the Test of Homelessness. Each assessment is made up of 40 randomly generated yes/no questions. The pass mark is 70 per cent. This means that 28 of the 40 questions must be answered correctly. Once the assessment has been passed, you will receive a certificate showing your accomplishment in your personal dashboard.

Contents
We will look in depth at the following duties and responsibilities falling on local authority officers:

• Duty to Refer
• Homeless Applications
• Advisory Duty
• Eligibility
• Homeless / Threatened with Homelessness
• Personal Housing Plans
• Right to Review
• Conclusion, Reference & Resources

Learning Outcomes
When you have completed this unit, you should:

• Have gained knowledge on the duty to refer process.
• Developed the ability to comprehend the components of a homeless application.
• Enhanced knowledge about the critical moments that initiate a homeless application.
• Gained knowledge and understanding of the advisory duty.
• Have a broad awareness of what the test of eligibility is.
• Developed an understanding of the eligibility tests and how to apply these.
• Gained an understanding of the circumstances that can deem someone to be homeless/threatened with homelessness.
• Built confidence and skill in applying the five fences to ascertain homelessness
• Developed an understanding of what a Personalised Housing Plan (PHP) is and its critical function in preventing and relieving homelessness.
• Gained knowledge and confidence in developing a Personalised Housing Plan (PHP).
• Gained an understanding of what the right to review is, the process and when it applies.
• Have gained confidence and practice in completing decision letters.

Conclusion

The conclusion to the learning block.

References & Further Reading
At the end of the Block, you will find all the links to the references and there is also some suggested further reading that may also interest you.

Downloads
Contains the relevant downloads, by unit, that you will need to access information to support you through the block.