armed forces; For non-priority groups, burdens funding. including some that fall persons leaving hospital; within the adjacent victims of domestic abuse; categories, this is often simply details of persons suffering from mental landlords and agents illness; and within the Borough. any other groups identified as at particular risk of homelessness within the authority’s area. Mandatory Code of Practice New prescribed Homelessness Code There is currently no This clause would give the The requirement to of Practice statutory code of Secretary of State power to issue reach prescribed practice. There is a codes of practice in relation to the service and This clause inserts a new section into Code of Guidance, performance of LHA performance standards the 1996 Act that enables the Secretary which sets out the homelessness duties, including may require an of State to produce codes of practice requirements for staff training and monitoring of investment in staffing dealing with LHAs functions in relation developing the LHA homelessness functions. and staff training. to homelessness or prevention. The statutory The code of practice would sit clause sets out a list of areas that might homelessness strategy alongside a new statutory Code of be covered by any code of practice. and review, and Guidance. implementation of the 2002 Homelessness Act. Homelessness Prevention duties Duty to assess all eligible Currently the level of The duty is very prescriptive, As levels of applicants’ cases and agree a plan assessment requiring several notifications and homelessness rise the undertaken within this introducing a bureaucratic process number of cases owed This clause inserts a new duty into the new duty is only for keeping Personal Housing this duty will increase. 1996 Act, where if the LHA are satisfied applied to a Plans, and a requirement to keep that an applicant is homeless or Additional staff will be homelessness each step contained within that threatened with homelessness, and required to meet this application as part of PHP under review. eligible for assistance, they are increased need. the homelessness required to carry out an assessment of The duty is priority-neutral, and investigation. the applicant’s case, looking at the therefore all customers circumstances that caused the approaching LHA as homeless applicant’s homelessness, their would require an Assessment and
armed forces; persons leaving hospital; victims of domestic abuse; persons suffering from mental illness; and any other groups identified as at particular risk of homelessness within the authority’s area. For non-priority groups, including some that fall within the adjacent categories, this is often simply details of landlords and agents within the Borough. burdens funding. Mandatory Code of Practice New prescribed Homelessness Code of Practice This clause inserts a new section into the 1996 Act that enables the Secretary of State to produce codes of practice dealing with LHAs functions in relation to homelessness or prevention. The clause sets out a list of areas that might be covered by any code of practice. There is currently no statutory code of practice. There is a Code of Guidance, which sets out the requirements for developing the statutory homelessness strategy and review, and implementation of the 2002 Homelessness Act. This clause would give the Secretary of State power to issue codes of practice in relation to the performance of LHA homelessness duties, including staff training and monitoring of LHA homelessness functions. The code of practice would sit alongside a new statutory Code of Guidance. The requirement to reach prescribed service and performance standards may require an investment in staffing and staff training. Homelessness Prevention duties Duty to assess all eligible applicants’ cases and agree a plan This clause inserts a new duty into the 1996 Act, where if the LHA are satisfied that an applicant is homeless or threatened with homelessness, and eligible for assistance, they are required to carry out an assessment of the applicant’s case, looking at the circumstances that caused the applicant’s homelessness, their Currently the level of assessment undertaken within this new duty is only applied to a homelessness application as part of the homelessness investigation. The duty is very prescriptive, requiring several notifications and introducing a bureaucratic process for keeping Personal Housing Plans, and a requirement to keep each step contained within that PHP under review. The duty is priority-neutral, and therefore all customers approaching LHA as homeless would require an Assessment and As levels of homelessness rise the number of cases owed this duty will increase. Additional staff will be required to meet this increased need.