Camden Housing Allocations Scheme A Guide for Homeless People Y Uand your housing options
Contents Who is this leaflet for?... 3 How will this leaflet help me?... 3 How does Camden decide who can get council housing?... 3 How do I find out about my points?... 4 What sort of things do I get points for?... 4 How we calculate the size of home you can bid for...13 The Exceptions Panel...14 Choice Based Lettings...15 Self Assessment...15 Frequently asked questions...16 Advice and Assistance...17
Introduction Who is this leaflet for? This leaflet is for you if you are homeless or about to become homeless and are applying for Council housing in Camden. Not sure if this leaflet is for you? This is part of a series of leaflets written specifically for different groups of people applying for housing. You ll find a list of the other leaflets on page 17. If you feel that you fit into more than one group and are not sure which leaflet applies to you, please speak to your care worker, support worker or probation officer or you can contact the Housing Options & Advice Service for advice. You will find their contact details under Advice and Assistance at the end of this leaflet. How will this leaflet help me? In it you will find out about how we allocate our housing and how we assess your case. It will be useful for you if you have applied or are thinking of applying for Council housing. How does Camden decide who can get Council housing? We aim to allocate housing clearly and fairly, giving the highest priority to those in greatest housing need, in line with government policy. We assess your level of need using a points system. Everyone who applies for housing has their circumstances assessed in the same way. There is a fixed number of points for different circumstances, and these have all been agreed by the Council.
How do I find out about my points? When you apply for housing, you start by filling out a selfassessment form, which is the Council s on line housing registration form (you can find out more about this on page 15) and answering questions about your individual circumstances. Each answer is awarded a number of points. You need a certain level of points before you can successfully bid for Council properties, and this depends on what size of property you need, as well as your individual circumstances. This leaflet explains more about how the points system works. What sort of things do I get points for? We have a range of points for different types of circumstances. We arrange these points in different groups and give each group a letter A-G. If you are homeless you can get points for any of the circumstances set out in this leaflet which apply to you. You will find more detail about them in the following pages.
Points and why you get them You have been accepted as homeless or the council is trying to help stop you from becoming homeless You are living in insanitary or uninhabitable housing The council has helped to prevent you from becoming homeless for six months You have lived continuously in Camden for the last 2 years What can I get points for if I am homeless or facing homelessness? You are sharing or lacking facilities and/or your home is overcrowded
. Points for homelessness. (Group B) The Council wants to make sure that people who are homeless and those who are threatened with homelessness receive as much help as possible to find suitable housing. You will receive points from Group B if you are: Homeless and found to be in priority need for accommodation under Sections 193(2) or 195(2) of the Housing Act 1996 (as amended) 100 points Occupying accommodation that has been provided by the Council under Section 192(3) of the Housing Act 1996 (as amended) 100 points Homeless and found to be in priority need for accommodation under Section 190(2) of the Housing Act 1996 (as amended) 50 points Threatened with homelessness and in priority need and the Council would have a duty to house you if you made a homelessness application but you are working with the Council to prevent homelessness 100 points Below are some examples of people in Group B: People who have been accepted as homeless under homelessness legislation and the Council has a duty to provide them with accommodation 193(2) People who have made a homelessness application to the Council because they are threatened with homelessness and they have been found to be in priority need and the Council is making sure that they continue to have somewhere to live - 195(2).
People who are in priority need but have not made a homelessness application to the Council instead, they are working with us to try and prevent themselves from becoming homeless. We want to help households living in temporary accommodation provided by the Council but we also give a high priority to households who are working with us to prevent their homelessness. Additional homelessness points We will give you extra points if you are working with us and we have helped you to prevent your homelessness for six months 100 points We will give you extra points if we accepted you as homeless under homelessness legislation but you have prevented your homelessness by accepting a private tenancy and you have stayed in the tenancy for six months 100 points
Points for insanitary, overcrowded or unsatisfactory housing conditions (Group C) As a homeless person you can only get points from Group C if you have prevention of homelessness points. You will receive the following points from Group C if you: Don t have exclusive use of facilities for your household 50 points. This means you have to share things like the kitchen, toilet and/or bathroom with other people. Have no access to facilities 100 points. Facilities are the means to store and prepare food where no meals are provided; bathroom or shower; and/or toilet. Are a private sector tenant living in insanitary conditions where the conditions are an ongoing and serious threat to your health and the Private Sector Team and the Environmental Health Service have assessed the problem and agreed that it cannot be resolved 150 points. Are a private sector tenant living in property that is uninhabitable due to, for example, severe damp, major structural defects including subsidence, flooding, collapse of roof, or you have living conditions which are a statutory nuisance which cannot be fixed immediately. The Private Sector Team and the Environmental Health Service have assessed the problem and agreed that the problem cannot be resolved 200 points
NB These points are valid for six months only but may be extended in exceptional circumstances If you are awarded 200 property condition points it is because the Council recognises that you have an urgent need to move to a new home and that you need to do so quickly. To help you move within the six month time limited period extra points will be awarded as follows: If you need a 2-bedroom home you will receive an additional 100 points. If you need a 3-bedroom home you will receive an additional 150 points. If you need a 4-bedroom home or larger you will receive an additional 200 points. Are overcrowded - 50 points plus 25 points for every extra bedroom you need. Extra points will be awarded if you are: Living in severely overcrowded housing conditions (i.e. you are lacking two or more bedrooms) 150 points.
Points for medical & disability needs (Group D) The highest level of priority within the allocations scheme is given to people who have an urgent need for re-housing due to serious medical conditions or a disability. Medical points are awarded by our Medical Assessment Officer. You may be referred for a medical assessment if you tell us that there is a medical problem or a disability that is made worse by your current housing. There are three medical categories: Category A where there is an urgent need to move for medical reasons or due to a disability. This includes people whose life is at risk because of their current housing conditions or who are completely housebound because of the type of home they live in. You will receive 300 points for a time-limited period of six months for each member of the household who falls within Category A. This period can be extended in exceptional circumstances. 10
If you are awarded Category A medical points, it is because the Council recognises that you have an urgent need to move to a new home and that you need to do so quickly. To help you move within the six month timelimited period extra points will be awarded as follows: If you need a 2-bedroom home you will receive an additional 100 points. If you need a 3-bedroom home you will receive an additional 150 points. If you need a 4-bedroom home or larger you will receive an additional 200 points. We call these uplift points and you can only get one set of these points per application. Category B where the housing is unsuitable for medical reasons or due to a disability, but you are not housebound and your life is not at risk due to your current housing. You will receive 80 points for each member of the household who falls within Category B. Category C where the housing conditions contribute directly to your ill health. You will receive 40 points for each member of the household who falls within Category C. It is possible that following a medical assessment, you may not be given any medical points. 11
Points for being a Camden resident In order to build stronger Camden communities, you can also receive points for the time you have lived in the borough: If you have lived continuously in Camden for the last two years, you will receive 100 residence points in addition to any other points awarded. If you have lived in Camden for 10 out of the last 15 years, you will receive 50 points in addition to the 100 residence points and any other points awarded. To qualify for the additional 50 residence points, you must have the 100 residence points for two years continuous residence. Points for time waiting You will receive 10% of your total number of points on the anniversary of your application which means that your points total will increase by 10% every 12 months. 12
How we calculate the size of home you can bid for Camden is committed to reducing the levels of overcrowding as much as possible, so we aim to match the needs of tenants with the mix of properties available as fairly as possible. To assess the size of home you need, we look at the number of people included within your application who would reasonably be expected to live with you and also the gender and age of each person. The size of home you can bid for is based on a bedroom standard and under this standard each home will need enough rooms to provide: One bedroom for each couple living together in a relationship. (For example, couples can bid for studios and one-bedroom properties). One bedroom for each person over the age of 11 who is not part of a couple. (For example, a single person household can only bid for a studio property, unless they have been assessed as having a medical, welfare or support need for a one bedroom property). 13
One bedroom for every two children under 5 years old, regardless of gender. One bedroom for every two children of the same sex under the age of 11 and over the age of 5. One bedroom for any other child aged over 5 and under 11. A single child under the age of 5 is not entitled to their own bedroom except where the household is made up of a couple or a single parent with one child only and that child is under the age of 5. (This means that households in this situation will be able to bid for both one bedroom and two bedroom homes but will not receive overcrowding points based on the need for a two bedroom home). A room will be counted as a bedroom if it is suitable and reasonable to use as one. (For example, a living room that could be used for someone to sleep in at night). Any rooms that are shared with another household will not be counted as bedrooms. If someone in your household is expecting a child, the number of rooms will be calculated as if the child has already been born. Children from current or former relationships will only be counted as part of your household if they live with you for more than 50% of the time. The Exceptions Panel The Council has an Exceptions Panel which is made up of senior managers in the Housing Needs Group. The Panel considers cases where the circumstances are so unusual that they cannot be properly dealt with by the Allocations Scheme. The Panel has the discretion to change the size of home entitlement, approve direct offers, and award additional points up to a maximum of 300. Cases are referred to the Exceptions Panel by Housing Staff, Social Care staff and other relevant agencies who might be working with you. 14
Choice Based Lettings Camden Council operates a Choice-based Lettings Scheme known as Home Connections. This means that we advertise all of our vacant properties every week on our website and a small selection in the Camden New Journal newspaper so that people can bid for them. All general needs properties are allocated through this scheme except wheelchair-adapted properties and properties for people with disabilities. These are offered directly on the recommendation of the Allocations Occupational Therapist. The adverts in the newspaper and on the website give full details of how to bid. Self-Assessment Self-Assessment is Camden s on line housing registration system that has replaced the paper based housing application forms. The system lets you make an application for housing on-line, view your existing records and change your circumstances. You will find the form at www.camden.gov. uk/housingoptions If you need help with the on line form you can contact our Customer Service Centre on 0207 974 5801. 15
Frequently Asked Questions Will I loose my points if I move out of temporary accommodation into a rented home? If you move into a private home we will close your homelessness application but you can reapply for housing as a private tenant. We will backdate your new application to the date when you made your homelessness application so that you do not loose time waiting points. In addition we will give you 100 prevention points when you move and another 100 points six months later. If your new home is outside of Camden you can also keep your residence points for twelve months. These points are in addition to any other points you may be entitled to. It could be that you will have more points by moving out of temporary accommodation so if you want to discuss this with us please speak to your support worker or the Assessment Service on 0207 974 5801. What if I don t have enough points? If you do not have enough points, you should contact the Housing Options & Advice Service, the Assessment Service or your support worker to discuss the other housing options that might be available to you. You should do this anyway because the demand for Council housing is very high and it can take several years before you are rehoused. What if my needs change? If your needs change, you will need to tell us about this by updating your housing application on line. The new information you give us may change your points (higher or lower) and we might have to suspend your application whilst we check out the new information. 16
Advice and Assistance If you need more information on the Housing Allocation Scheme or want to talk to a Housing Options Adviser about other choices available please contact the Housing Options & Advice Service on 0207 974 5801, Monday to Friday 9.30 5.00 (except Wednesday). A copy of the Full Housing Allocation Scheme and a Summary of the Full Scheme is available on Camden s website at www.camden.gov.uk/ housing or a copy can be sent to you if you contact us. A small fee of approximately 10.00 will be charged for sending out the scheme. Where to find out more about Camden s housing You can visit the housing options pages of Camden s website at www.camden.gov.uk/housingoptions We have leaflets on the following: The on-line housing registration system (self assessment) Housing Options Finding a place to live Choice-based lettings (Home connections) Sheltered housing for older people Housing Allocations Scheme Guides for People with Support Needs People living with family and friends Homeless people Council Tenants Private Tenants 17
The Camden Housing Allocation Scheme Summary is available in large print, braille, on audiotape or in another language. If you would like more information you can visit our website at www.camden.gov.uk/housing. The Camden Housing Allocations Scheme Summary is available in your language. If you would like more information you can visit our website at www.camden.gov.uk/housing PToPcj yjck\ä FPuJPTvjx ÛLo xjojrl IJkjJr njwj~s kjs~j pj~ç Km JKrf \JjPf YJAPu IJkKj IJoJPhr SP~mxJAa www.camden.gov.uk/housing ßhUPf kjprjç La Synthèse du Projet d Allocations de Logement de Camden est disponible dans votre langue. Pour de plus amples renseignements, veuillez consulter notre site Web à l adresse suivante : www.camden.gov.uk/housing. The Camden Housing Allocations Scheme Summary wuxuu diyaar ku yahay isagoo afka aad ku hadashid ku tarjuman. Haddii aad jeclaan lahayd in aad xog dheeraad ah oo arrintaas la xiriirta waxaad booqan kartaa boggayaga internet-ka ee ah www.camden.gov.uk/housing. El Resumen del Plan sobre Adjudicación de Viviendas de Camden (Housing Allocations Scheme Summary) está disponible en su idioma. En caso de que desee más información, puede visitar nuestro sitio web en www.camden.gov.uk/housing. The Camden Housing Allocations Scheme Summaryis available in your language. If at Assessment Service Manager London Borough of Camden Housing Needs Group Bidborough House 20 Mabledon Place London WC1H 9BF www.camden.gov.uk/housing www.camden.gov.uk/housing Published January 2009. Produced by the communications team (design, print and copy) 378.14 01/09 Tel: 020 7974 1985