Rehousing

This section will cover:

1. Applications under the Allocation Scheme;
2. Rehousing out of Camden; and
3. Homeless applications.

Council tenants or the partners (or ex-partners) of tenants living in council homes may be eligible for another council tenancy under the Council’s Allocation Scheme. They can also approach the Homeless Prevention Service for assistance under homeless legislation. Tenants/partners should be advised that both options are open to them however it’s important they have a clear understanding that the outcomes are different so they can make a fully informed choice.

Other people who live in council homes (including sons or daughters of tenants or unauthorised occupiers) may also be eligible to join the housing register but if they need urgent assistance to flee DVA they should be signposted to the homeless prevention service

Applications under the Housing Allocations scheme

The first step when a person asks to be (re)housed into a council or housing association tenancy is for them to make a housing application.

When an applicant is experiencing domestic abuse they may be eligible for the following under Group D of the council’s Allocations Scheme:

• If fleeing severe harassment or violence and in urgent need of rehousing, they may be eligible for 600 points.
• If fleeing harassment or violence and it is assessed that rehousing would be desirable, they may be eligible for 75 points.

Points are awarded for six months and will then be reviewed if the tenant has not been able to move – they will not automatically be renewed.

An award of domestic abuse points must be agreed by the allocations service. They are represented at the DVA MDT and any recommendations for DVA points will be considered by MDT as part of the wider discussion about the case.

Survivors may be suffering from trauma and there may also be practical barriers to bidding for a new home. Support the survivor to have the confidence and agency to make their own decisions but, in some cases, a direct offer may be appropriate and this option can also be explored at MDT.

DVA points panel

Applications for Group D points can be made to the DVA points panel. The panel brings together key officers already involved in the work: Housing Allocations and Camden Safety Net. The panel meets weekly to review requests for housing register points.

To refer, you must:

• Send a completed DVA Assessment Form alongside any additional information you would like to be considered to: [email protected] with the subject heading “DVA Points Panel”
• The panel will notify officers if more evidence is required to decide. The panel will also notify officers of the outcome for the applicant.

Direct offers

Section 7 of Camden’s Housing Allocations Scheme sets out that direct offers of properties can be made in limited circumstances, at the discretion of an appropriate officer. Agency, choice, and control should always be prioritised when supporting survivors so direct offers should be sought as a last resort.  We should first consider how we can remove practical barriers to the survivor bidding. In cases where there are acute practical or significant safety issues a direct offer may be appropriate i.e. if there is a very small locality that it is safe for the survivor to move or access needs that restrict the survivor’s ability to bid. You can also refer a case to the MDT to explore whether a direct offer is appropriate.

Requests can be made by completing the Direct offer request form and sending this to the Accommodation Placements Service Manager.

You can read more about how direct offers work here.

Rehousing out of Camden

If a survivor wants to move away from Camden to another London borough or to another part of the country, there are schemes that could help them.

Pan-London Reciprocal Scheme

This is a managed reciprocal scheme for survivors of domestic abuse, and other forms of violence, in London. Properties are offered by other London boroughs and moves are coordinated through the scheme. These are not straight exchanges of tenancies and the survivor’s anonymity is protected. Demand for this scheme is high and it is not an urgent resettlement option. If a property is offered and refused by the survivor they will be removed from the scheme if it assessed that the refusal reasons were not valid. Completed PLHR referrals should be sent to the Allocations team. More information is available here.

North London Sub Region Reciprocal Scheme

This is a managed scheme involving boroughs in the North London Sub Region – Barnet, Camden, Enfield, Haringey, Islington and Westminster for survivors of domestic abuse only. Referrals can be made by completing a referral form. Boroughs in the sub region are not obliged to accept the referrals. They are also not straight exchanges.  If a tenant is offered a social tenancy, should a property be identified, and then refused, another offer may not be made.

Mutual Exchange

This scheme allows survivors to exchange tenancies with someone else in another borough or part of the country, as well as within Camden. Secure tenants have a right to exchange homes if their landlord agrees and there are set reasons laid down for when a request can be refused. There are considerations with this option around the safety of the survivor and the swapping tenant, especially around risk of the survivor’s new address being identified by the perpetrator. Survivors can access the Home Swapper website to begin the process. There is more information here

There are two mutual exchange advisers in The Accommodation Placements team. See also the guidance notes on mutual exchange.

Housing Moves

This is a London-wide choice-based lettings housing register scheme like Camden’s own housing scheme. Each London borough allocates 5% of its properties to this scheme. There is more information here.

Applications under homelessness legislation

Anyone experiencing or at risk of domestic abuse or violence within their home is considered statutorily homeless and is able to make a homeless application, under s.177 of the Housing Act 1996. Survivors should be advised that if they pursue rehousing via Camden’s statutory homelessness route, it is unlikely they will be offered a secure council or housing association tenancy via this route. Despite this, survivors should be advised of this option as an alternative to rehousing under the scheme.

Survivors can apply by completing the request for homelessness advice form on our website. The NHO should liaise with Homelessness Prevention and, if appropriate, support the survivor to complete the referral.  If the situation is urgent and the survivor needs alternative accommodation the same or next day they can call 0207 974 4444, including outside office hours. On receipt of their form the survivor will be offered an appointment with a Homelessness Prevention Adviser (HPA).

Interaction with a Housing Register application

• If a council tenant makes a homelessness application any existing housing register application will be put on hold.
• If the main homeless duty is accepted any previously awarded points on any housing register application will be removed. This means a tenant previously awarded DVA points under the Housing Allocations Scheme will lose them if they choose to pursue a homeless application.
• If the main homeless duty is accepted the only points that can be awarded are for health & housing (150 or 500), statutory homelessness (100) unless the applicant is eligible for extra points as a current or former member of the armed forces. This means that points for needs such as harassment/DVA, overcrowding, sharing facilities and/or essential repairs cannot be awarded.
• It is possible for a tenant to withdraw a homeless application and pursue an application to the Housing Register. If this is requested there should be a discussion between the HPA and the NHO as there will be implications for the provision of temporary accommodation.

If a main homelessness duty is accepted, the most likely way in which the duty will be discharged is via an offer of suitable private rented sector housing or a placement in supported living accommodation.

 

There are also other schemes listed below:

https://homefinderuk.org – this is a good option for people looking to move away from London. It is open to a wider group of applicants but also specialises in bespoke help for survivors of domestic abuse through the Revive project. More info on Revive here.

Seaside and Country Homes scheme - is open to over 60 year old social housing tenants, who live in London and would like to consider moving to the coast or countryside.

Read here for more information on all of these schemes.