The Homelessness Reduction Act 2017 placed a legal duty on councils to offer more support to a wider range of people who are homeless or threatened with homelessness within 56 days. The Act changed the way local authorities support homeless households and aims to ensure that all eligible customers can get help and support to:
- Remain in their current home (prevent you from becoming homeless), or
- Find somewhere else to live
Are you homeless or threatened with Homelessness in 56 days?
We will work with you to try to a find a housing solution that meets your needs and will also draw up and agree a Personalised Housing Plan which sets out what we will do to support you as well what you can do to support yourself. If you are homeless or threatened with homelessness, it is important that you contact us immediately.
Web: You can self-refer and tell us about your housing problem and we will contact you by telephone. If you do not have access to the internet at home, you may wish to go to your local library and use the internet facilities available there.
Homeless after leaving hospital
We provide advice for people who won't have anywhere to live after they're discharged from hospital You should tell the hospital nursing staff as soon as possible, so that they know that you will be homeless when you are discharged. They will ask the hospital discharge team to help if they can.
The discharge team will refer you to the housing advice team at the council. They will assess your situation and you may be offered temporary accommodation while your application is assessed.
If you have a home already but it needs to be adapted, the hospital will refer you to the HEART team who are responsible for adaptations or Disabled Facilities Grant.
Homeless after leaving prison
We provide advice for people who won't have anywhere to live after they are released from prison. You should tell the prison staff you will have no-where to live and they will refer you to the housing advice team at the council. If you apply to Warwick District Council for housing assistance because you are homeless, we might not necessarily be legally obliged to provide you with accommodation.
The fact that you have been in prison does not in itself mean that the Council has to treat you as being vulnerable and in priority need for accommodation. We will need to assess any evidence to be satisfied that you will find it difficult to seek out and maintain accommodation for yourself compared to other people who are rendered homeless. It may be more difficult for you to find and maintain accommodation due to:
- having a mental illness
- having a learning disability or physical disability
- are under 21 and have been in care
- were in the armed forces
- are fleeing violence or threats of violence
Emergency accommodation if you have no housing
You may need to use emergency accommodation such as a hostel, night shelter or bed and breakfast accommodation if you have nowhere to go following your release. Hostels provide temporary accommodation. Some are direct access, which means you don't need a referral from an agency to use them.
What area can you be housed in if you are homeless?
When you apply to Warwick District Council as homeless, the Housing Options service will check to see if you have a local connection with its area. You can establish a local connection, for example, by living, working, or having immediate family (usually a parent or brother or sister) in the area. Time spent in prison in a specific area does not give you a local connection with the area where the prison is located. However, if you have no local connection with any area or if you are fleeing violence, you can apply to any council in any area. There may be restrictions placed on where you can live. If a court order says you can't go to a particular area, you may need to seek help from a different council.