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Preventing Homelessness

Copeland Borough Council's primary aim is to stop people from becoming homeless or to help find them suitable alternative secure housing.

 

We want to reduce the number of people who are either homeless or in danger of becoming homeless by giving them choices and options to suit their circumstances.

 

We often work with other parts of the Council and outside agencies so that we can offer the best possible solution to help solve someone's problems and stop them from losing their home.

 

There are a number of examples of what we can do to help, but these include:

Dealing with domestic violence

by providing links to a number of different options

Effective partnerships

working closely with external agencies and private landlords to meet the housing needs of local people

Offering choice and options

Working with private landlords to raise standards in the private sector and encourage good practice

Making it easier for low income households to access private sector housing e.g. through rent bond schemes

Mediation

Offering mediation service for young people (aged 16-25) and their families who may be being made homeless following family fall outs

Homeless Prevention Fund

A fund which helps in a variety of ways to help prevent homelessness

Discretionary Housing Payments (DHP's)

Work with the Housing Benefits Department and Benefits Advisers to encourage and consider requests for DHP's as a means to help prevent homelessness

 

Have "early warning" protocols with local Housing Associations and others to share information on cases where people are in danger of becoming homeless so that appropriate advice and information can be given to them as soon as possible

 

The Council must make enquiries into your application and therefore you must be aware that we may ask you some questions that you may find intrusive. Your application will however, be assessed as sympathetically and as sensitively as possible.

Our Promise to You

We will:

• Do everything we can to prevent homelessness, for example through negotiation, mediation or working with the privately rented sector
• Complete enquiries into your application within 33 working days
• Answer your queries promptly, be polite and treat everyone fairly and with courtesy and respect
• Ask your opinions and for suggestions on how to improve the service we give
• Arrange temporary accommodation for you if you are homeless or become homeless whilst we are investigating your application and have a priority need. This can be bed & breakfast accommodation (but only if no other form of temporary accommodation is available)
• Try to move you into temporary accommodation as soon as possible (once we accept a duty to rehouse you) until we find a permanent property for you
• Ensure that your housing application is maximised
• Explore options such as hostel and privately rented accommodation

Your Promise to Us

You will:

• Do everything you can to provide the information we ask for
• Provide us with the correct information so that we can speed up our service to you
• Try and keep appointments with your Housing Options Adviser, if not you will phone to arrange a more suitable appointment
• Inform us immediately of any change in circumstances that may occur
• We know you are under difficult circumstances but be polite and courteous to us

 

As soon as you are aware that you may be in danger of losing your home then please arrange for a confidential interview with one of our Housing Options Advisers who can help you far more easily before problems get worse.

 

Don't worry as we are here to help you!

 

Mortgage Problems

If you are experiencing any problems in paying your mortgage contact us straight away as we can help you.

 

Please also see the Government website on Mortgage Help.