• "Drop In" Service for Homeless People
• Prevention of Homelessness

• Advice and support for young people aged 16 - 17 years

• Homelessness Application
• What Happens Next
• Contacting Housing Needs Team
• Other Helpful Contacts
• Bond Scheme

“Drop In” Service for Homeless People

The Housing Needs Team will be piloting a new “Drop In” Service for Homeless People. This service will be running for a trial period of 2 months, commencing on 31 October 2011. The “Drop In” sessions will be at Queens Buildings, Potter Street, Worksop on Monday and Friday mornings from 10.00am to 12.00 noon. For more information please view the "Drop In" Service poster.

Prevention of Homelessness

The Council’s Housing Needs Team has a duty to provide advice, assistance and support to individuals and families who believe they are homeless or likely to become homeless. The Council’s priority is to prevent homelessness wherever possible, thereby enabling you and your family to remain in your present home. In order to prevent you from becoming homeless, the Council need to be made aware at the earliest opportunity that you are experiencing difficulties. Therefore you should contact the Council’s Housing Needs Team immediately if you are:

• Experiencing difficulty in claiming housing benefit
• Having problems with your Landlord
• Experiencing financial difficulties and struggling to pay your rent and mortgage payments
• Finding it difficult to maintain your home and/or garden
• Experiencing or at risk of Domestic Abuse, Violence, Harassment and Threats
• Suffering a relationship breakdown

Everyone has a right to approach the Council for assistance and anyone doing so will be offered an appointment for a Housing Needs Assessment in the first instance. The purpose of this interview is for the Council to determine whether or not homelessness can be prevented. At the interview you will be required to provide information about your present housing situation and housing history and may also be asked to provide written documentation such as a Tenancy Agreement, Notice Seeking Possession, Rent Card etc.

The Officer conducting the interview will endeavour to prevent you from becoming homeless or threatened with homelessness using a wide range of measures available which may involve contacting and negotiating with your Landlord or mortgage provider, family or friends. They may also direct you to organisations who can provide specialist support services and check that you are registered on the Council’s housing waiting list and provide appropriate advice concerning your rehousing prospects.

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Homelessness Application

If the Housing Needs Team are unable to prevent you from becoming homeless, you will be offered a formal homeless interview. Following the interview the Housing Needs Officer will carry out investigations to establish the facts and determine what level of assistance is owed to you, if any, in accordance with the Housing Act 1996 (as amended by the Homelessness Act 2002). This may involve contacting members of your family, your Landlord or mortgage provider, your employer, the Police, Social Services or other relevant organisation.

The Council will carry out its investigations as quickly as possible and will notify you of their decision, in writing, at the earliest opportunity. Should you be dissatisfied with the Council’s decision, you may request that the decision be reviewed.

What Happens Next

On conclusion of its investigations, if the Council decide that you are owed a full duty, you will meet all of the following criteria:

• Be eligible for assistance
• Be homeless or threatened with homelessness within the next 28 days
• Be in priority need
• Be Unintentionally Homeless
• Have a local connection to the Bassetlaw area

Applicants accepted as homeless will have their housing applications awarded priority status and may have additional areas and property types added to facilitate early rehousing. You may be offered suitable accommodation from Bassetlaw District Council, another Council, Housing Association (Registered Social Landlord) or private landlord.

The Council will also provide emergency interim or temporary accommodation where required and appropriate.

Applicants not meeting all of the above criteria will not be owed a full duty but will be provided with appropriate advice and assistance.

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Contacting the Housing Needs Team

The Housing Needs Team are based at Queen’s Buildings, Worksop and can be contacted between the hours of 8.40am – 12.30pm and 1.30pm – 5.00pm Monday – Friday. Enquiries can be made by personal visit, letter, telephone, email or fax.

The Housing Needs Team also operate an Emergency Out of Hours Homelessness Service. This service is available outside of the above normal office hours, at weekends and bank holidays, 365 days per year. Clients requiring the emergency service should telephone 01909 534999.

Bassetlaw District Council

Housing Needs Team

Queen’s Buildings

Potter Street

Worksop

Notts

S80 2AH

Telephone: 01909 533455/533401/533402/533712

Fax: 01909 535122

Email: housing.needs@bassetlaw.gov.uk

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Helpful contacts and information

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