FI17358

Request

1. Please provide copies of any policy and practice documents currently used or relied upon by your housing officers to manage the initial approach of homeless applicants and how they are required to make their homelessness application. Such documents could include, but not be limited to: 

  • guidance notes;
  • briefings;
  • training materials or records;
  • reports;
  • recent reviews of your homelessness service; and/or
  • internal policy/practice documents.

2. Please confirm the different methods by which you currently assist homeless applicants who approach the council to make a homelessness application under the provisions of the Housing Act. In particular, please confirm whether services are provided via: 

  • online application form;
  • email;
  • telephone booking;
  • in-person appointments; and/or
  • other (please specify). 
  1. For each of the methods at 2(a) to (e) above, are they available on an on-demand basis or are they restricted to appointment only? 
  1. Do you publicly advertise each of the above methods? If so, where and in what format is the information about how to access these services provided? 
  1. What in-person services do you offer to people who need to make a homelessness application and in what circumstances? Where you are not meeting applicants face-to-face, what methods do you have in place to ensure that you have sufficient information about the applicants to process homelessness applications and prioritise available housing? 
  1. How do you triage someone who presents in person seeking homelessness assistance? What information do you provide to that person, and in what format? 
  1. If services are restricted to appointment only (i.e. walk-ins are not accommodated): 
  • how can those appointments be booked?
  • what are the current wait times for securing an initial appointment?
  • what criteria are applied in prioritising the order in which appointments are offered? 
  1. Have the methods for accessing homelessness services in 2(a) to (e) above changed in the last 6 years? 
  • If so, please explain the changes and when they were implemented.
  • At the time any of these changes were being contemplated or implemented, did you conduct any impact assessment on those who might be adversely affected by the relevant change? If so, what were the results of those impact assessments?
  • Since the relevant change, have you observed any changes in:

(i)                  the number of homeless applicants;

(ii)                the profile of homeless applicants; or

(iii)              the method via which they have accessed homelessness services or made an homeless application? 

  1. How many homelessness applications have you received each year for the past 6 years?  
  • In each of those years, how many applications have been received via each of the methods at 2(a) to (d) above?
  • Do you track statistics on the profile of applicants and whether they may face difficulties in accessing services via the different methods above, including, but not limited to:

(i)                  illiteracy or low literacy;

(ii)                individuals who are digitally excluded;

(iii)              people with disabilities;

(iv)              elderly people; and/or

(v)                non-English speakers.

  • What assistance and/or special provisions do you make for any individuals who may face difficulties in accessing services?  Are any of these restricted in any way? For example, is an applicant required to demonstrate a specific disability in order to be offered certain types of support? 
  1. How many in-person appointments do you provide daily? 
  • On which days of the week, during what hours and at which locations are in-person appointments available?
  • Of the total number of daily in-person appointments you offer to constituents generally, how many are available for homelessness applicants?
  • On average across the past 6 years, how many people that have presented for in-person appointments each day were offered appointments? 
  1. How do you receive and deal with urgent homelessness applications? 
  1. Do you offer emergency walk-in slots daily? If yes: 
  • How many emergency slots are available each day and on which days of the week?
  • Are these slots solely for homelessness appointments or are they for a range of council services? 
  1. Do you rely on, or direct applicants to, other third party or local authority services for assistance in making a homelessness application? If so: 
  • Please specify the service providers.
  • Do you train those service providers on how to assist?
  • For each of these service providers:

(i)                  What are their hours of operation?

(ii)                Are there any access restrictions in place? In particular, are they available on a walk-in basis or do they need to be booked in advance? If booking is required, what is the process? 

  1. Have you received any complaints: 
  • in relation to the process for accessing homelessness support;
  • from anyone who has struggled to access homelessness support due to the closure of, or restrictions on, face-to-face homelessness services you provide; or
  • from other service providers as a result of the closure of, or restrictions on, face-to-face homelessness services you provide?

Response

  1. There are no internal documents produced in-house. Both new and experienced officers are given training on various aspects of homelessness legislation (including case-law updates), and use materials provided by the trainer. Officers attend regular team meetings where the training is discussed, to ensure they follow processes in a consistent way. The homelessness service is being reviewed next month. We have regard to the Part 7 and the Homelessness Code of Guidance. 
  1. There is a link on our homelessness web pages to submit an application online. Some enquiries are made direct to Customer Services who pass the relevant info to the team via email for follow up. We carry out telephone enquiries as well as see people who come to the offices. 
  1. On demand but we do manage caseloads by using appointments. 
  1. If you are homeless or at risk of homelessness - Dover District Council and Accessibility Statement. 
  1. We meet applicants in person wherever possible. This is usually in our offices, but we can carry out home visits if necessary. 
  1. This is dependent on the circumstances of the household. We help people who approach us to complete an online application as this gathers important information we use to carry out our enquiries although this does not have to be completed before we offer assistance. We provide information based on individual circumstances and this would be in writing, including via email if appropriate.    
  1. Not applicable. 
  1. No. 
  1. As follows: 

2021/22

608

2022/23

496

2023/24

508

2024/25

471

2025/26

543

2026/27 (to date)

91

(a) This information is not recorded.

(b) (i)   No

(ii) No but DDC or partner agencies can offer digital support.

(i)  Yes we profile applicants but not whether they may face difficulties accessing services via the methods stated.

(ii) Yes we profile applicants but not whether they may face difficulties accessing services via the methods stated.

(iii) Yes we profile applicants but not whether they may face difficulties accessing services via the methods stated.

(c) No we do not expect an applicant to prove they have a specific disability. We would try and provide whatever assistance is necessary dependent on individual circumstances. 

10. We do not operate an appointment system. 

11. This can be in person in the office, via email from Customer Services or an online application. All methods of approach are triaged and if urgent the applicant will be contacted at the point of receiving the application. 

12. We see applicants who come into the office on an ad-hoc basis, there are no allotted slots. 

13. No however if appropriate we may ask a partner agency to assist an applicant in completing an online form or submitting supporting documents. 

14. No.