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AIBU?

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Housing Plan - Homeless Relief Duty

5 replies

Oneeyedsusan · 12/10/2024 08:08

I am currently in an abusive relationship and have a domestic abuse worker. I live with my abuser but need to leave as soon as possible. I am on the council house register as Band C and have been marked as soon-to-be homeless due to fleeing abuse. My housing worker needs to complete a housing plan before I can be registered as homeless and move to Band B. They have 56 days to find me a house. My worker has scheduled an appointment in three weeks to complete the housing plan.
Is this wait normal? It seems like a long time for someone who needs to leave urgently.
I’ve tried asking my housing worker if this delay is typical and if there are any specific timescales, but she just ignores me.
Has anyone else been in this position?

OP posts:
mitogoshigg · 12/10/2024 08:16

"Needing to leave" varies a lot from person to person. If you believe you are in danger you can present as homeless at the council or call the police. I'm guessing that your situation is more nuanced? You know the relationship is abusive but you aren't in danger?

Oneeyedsusan · 12/10/2024 08:22

mitogoshigg · 12/10/2024 08:16

"Needing to leave" varies a lot from person to person. If you believe you are in danger you can present as homeless at the council or call the police. I'm guessing that your situation is more nuanced? You know the relationship is abusive but you aren't in danger?

i have presented as homeless and they are going to accept that, I’m curious as to why the housing plan takes so long.
I originally went to a different council who did the housing plan etc but then realised it’s extremely rare for houses to come up so I changed it to the other council near me.
below is what was on the letter from the first council, so it’s not an issue of whether I will be classes as homeless or not :

Housing Act 1996 Part 7 Section 184 (3), (6) Duty to provide homeless relief Section 189B
Further to your application for assistance under the above legislation, | am writing to inform you that we have decided the following:

  1. You are eligible for assistance.
  2. You are threatened with homelessness within the next 56 days.
| have arrived at this decision because:

You are fleeing domestic violence
| can confirm under S189A, a full assessment of your needs was carried out on Xxxxxx and this assessment includes, but was not
limited to:

  1. The circumstances that cause you to be threatened with homelessness.
  2. The housing needs of yourself and any other member of your household.
  3. Any support that your household needs to help retain your existing accommodation.
Under S189B of the above Act, the Council has a duty to take reasonable steps over the next 56 days, to help you secure accommodation. This does not mean it is the Council’s responsibility to secure accommodation for you, but we will offer to help you through various measures, including personalised advice and, where possible, by providing a rent deposit or bond guarantee. We have concluded that we have reason to believe that you may have a “priority need” due to fleeing domestic violence. Because of that, whilst options are being pursued for the relief of your homelessness, the Council may have a duty to provide you with interim temporary accommodation.
OP posts:
Oneeyedsusan · 12/10/2024 09:14

Does anyone here work in housing?

OP posts:
Oneeyedsusan · 12/10/2024 13:28

Anyone ?

OP posts:
Stoneyellow · 12/10/2024 22:02

The trouble is we're in a housing crisis and everything has been affected, it's really hard to find people accommodation when there is none available.

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