If you are homeless at the moment or are soon to be homeless the information provided here aims to explain the advice and assistance we can provide.

Can I get help if I am homeless?
Am I eligible?
Am I considered to be homeless?
Can you help if I am threatened with homelessness? 
Would I be seen as ‘Priority Need’?
What does ‘Intentionally Homeless’ mean?
Do I have a 'Local Connection'? 
What would be the reasons for refusing to provide temporary accommodation? 
How can I contact someone about homelessness?
 
Can I get help if I am homeless?

 To get help from us if you are homeless, you must be:

• Eligible for assistance
• Homeless or threatened with homelessness
• In priority need
• Not be intentionally homeless
• Have a local connection

Am I eligible?

Before we are able to assist you we must determine whether you are eligible for assistance. Those not eligible for assistance are listed below, however this information is not exhaustive.

• People who are subject to immigration control within the meaning of the Asylum and Immigration Act 1996 are not eligible for assistance unless they belong to a number of categories specified by the Department for Communties and Local Government
• People from abroad and / or those who cannot claim public funds
• If you fall within one of the categories that would normally make you eligible for assistance, but have any accommodation whatsoever, however temporary, that is available for your occupation, you are not eligible for assistance

If you need more information on your eligibility please contact us.

Am I considered to be homeless?

We may consider you legally homeless if any of the following apply:

• You have nowhere to stay
• You have been staying where you have no legal right to remain
• Not all members of the family who usually live together can continue to do so in the home where they have been living together
• You have a home but cannot access it
• It is unreasonable (in our view) to continue to occupy the home
• It is a moveable structure (caravan or houseboat designed for living in) but there is nowhere to put it and live in it.

Can you help if I am threatened with homelessness?

A person is said to be ‘threatened with homelessness’ if they are likely to become homeless within 28 days.

If you currently live in privately rented accommodation you will not be accepted as homeless until the landlord has served you with the correct form of notice requiring you to leave the accommodation and in certain circumstances a Court Order for Possession.

If the Notice you have received is incorrect our Housing Advisor can contact your landlord to advise him/her on the correct procedures.

If you are a homeowner, your mortgage lender will normally be required to obtain a Court Order for Possession.

Whatever housing difficulty you may face, we will try to help you by looking at whether homelessness can be prevented. Depending on your circumstances, this may involve a referral to a Housing Options Officer, Housing Advisor or Housing Debt Advisor.

Would I be seen as ‘Priority Need’?
 
People fall into priority need if they or members of their family include any of the following:

• Dependent children (below the age of 16 years of age, or 19 if in full-time education)
• Pregnant women
• Elderly persons (normally those over retirement age)
• Any person made homeless as a result of fire, flood or other disaster
• Persons who are vulnerable as a result of old age, mental illness or handicap, physical disability or other special reason
• 16 – 18 year olds
• A young person over the age of 18 who used to be in the care of the local authority
• Someone who has recently left prison and is considered to be vulnerable
• Someone who has recently left the Armed Forces and is considered to be vulnerable

If you are not in a priority need category, we will not provide temporary accommodation. If you have become homeless, we do however have a duty to give you advice and will offer you whatever assistance you may need in your attempt to find your own accommodation.

If you are homeless and in a priority need category, we have a duty to find you accommodation which will usually be provided on a temporary basis, and is usually hostel accommodation.
 
What does ‘Intentionally Homeless’ mean?
 
If the Council finds that you did something that led to the loss of your home or did not do something to stop you losing your home you may be considered intentionally homeless (this may not be the home you have just lost). For example:
• Leaving your home before you legally had to
• Not paying your rent or mortgage even though your income could cover it
• You did not follow advice given to you by a qualified advisor
• You did not follow advice given to you by the Council to help you find other accommodation
• You did not co-operate with your family whilst living with them while waiting to find another home
• You failed to keep to the terms of your tenancy i.e. anti-social behaviour

We will give you advice to try and keep your home. This may include help from a Housing Debt Advisor to help with your debts, if you risk losing your home because you cannot cope with them, or Housing Advice to enable you to stay where you are.

Do I have a 'Local Connection'?

If you are homeless or threatened with homelessness within 28 days, we will investigate your connections with Aylesbury Vale.

We treat the following periods as sufficient in accordance with the law and accompanying Code of Guidance:

• Length of residence in town - if you have lived in Aylesbury Vale for a total of six months in the last twelve months or if you have lived in Aylesbury Vale for a total of three years in the last five years, you will have established a local connection (whether or not you were living in the town at the time you became homeless)

• By employment in the town - if you are in full-time employment in the town, this also establishes a local connection

• By residence of relative - if you have certain close relatives in the town e.g. parents, brothers or sisters and they have lived in Aylesbury Vale for the last five years, then you will have established a local connection

Please note that special rules apply if you had to live in Aylesbury Vale because, for example, you were in Forces accommodation, being treated in hospital or in prison.

If you do not have a local connection here we may ask another local authority, where you do have links, to assist in finding alternative accommodation for you.

An exception may be made if you had to leave home because of threat of violence from someone with whom you are associated whilst living there.

What would be the reasons for refusing to provide temporary accommodation?

We can refuse to provide temporary accommodation if any of the following apply:

• You are not homeless or threatened with homelessness
• You are homeless but do not have a priority need
• You are homeless and in priority need but you are considered to have made yourself intentionally homeless
 
How can I contact someone about homelessness?

You can visit the AVDC offices which are based at 66 High Street, Aylesbury. You will initially be seen by a Customer Service Advisor, however it may be necessary to be referred to a duty officer.
If it is easier you can ring us on (01296) 585168 and arrange to speak to the duty officer.

Date Updated: 01/09/09