Requests for Reviews and Legal support

We appreciate that in many circumstances an application for accommodation may be refused by a local authority, and sometimes without good reason. The individual may feel that this decision was unfair and should be challenged.

Local Connection

If a person is already homeless, but does not have a local connection in the area where the homeless application is being submitted, that council can refer the applicant to a different council if the person has a local connection to another area; and
the person is not at risk of domestic abuse or violence there.

Intentionally Homeless

For homelessness to be intentional, a person must have lost their home due to something they have deliberately done (or failed to do). The authority must then decide whether the loss of the home was reasonably likely to result from the person’s action (or failure to act).

Priority need

Priority need is where certain people are given priority for access to accommodation over others. The relevant law on homelessness requires housing authorities to give priority to anyone that meets the definition of “priority need“.

Accessing Accommodation

Accessing accommodation when homeless or in a vulnerable position can be both a daunting and difficult process. This toolkit is designed to break down the process of applying for accommodation and provides an overview on how individuals can access accommodation in both the short and long term.