FOI request (FOIR-704715253)

Homelessness

Requested Thu 10 April 2025
Responded Fri 25 April 2025

Response

Q1

To join our housing register, households must complete an online application form. If homeless they are advised to contact the council to arrange a housing options appointment to discuss their housing options. Due to lack of social housing in the borough, there is a very long wait for social housing. Wait times for social housing can be viewed on our website at https://www.hastings.gov.uk/housing/social_housing/new/.

The housing officer, as part of the personalised housing plan, will discuss other housing options. For example, if they meet the criteria household may be offered a loan for rent in advance / deposits to secure accommodation in the private rented sector, or if in priority need be offered temporary accommodation. During the process of the homeless application, currently if a Relief or Prevention duty is accepted then the household can join the housing register as Band C Prevention/Relief duty owed, but if we accept a Section 193 duty the housing officer will add the household onto our housing register as a Band A Statutory Homeless case.

Before joining the housing register the applicant must provide all supporting documents such as proof of ID etc.

Their priority date for joining the housing register is the date of when they presented to the council. Based on the above, we are unable to provide the homelessness numbers who approached the council to join the housing register, however, can provide the following information:

Band C – Owed Prevention / Relief duty: 2022/23 = 45 , 2023/24 = 98 , and 2024/25 = 104

Band A – Statutory Homeless: 2022/23 = 261, 2023/24 = 271, and 2024/25 = 296

On our housing register we currently have:

Band A Statutory homeless cases = 425 households

Band C owed a prevention/relief duty = 105 households

Q2 - This information can be viewed on the .gov.uk website at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/live-tables-on-homelessness

Q3 - Please see 1. above.

Q4 Please see 1 above.

Hastings Borough Council does not have a specific band reason for fleeing domestic abuse as these households will be awarded Band A Statutory homeless, or Band C owed a prevention/relief duty.

To ensure the safety of these households we ask them to contact the council where they are given a same day appointment (known as an emergency appointment) to see a Housing Options Officer to discuss their housing options such as finding refuge accommodation, be placed in emergency accommodation or complete referrals for sanctuary scheme measures to install security items at the property such as door locks, window locks etc.

Due to lack of social housing in the borough and very long wait times, the safety of households fleeing domestic abuse is paramount.

Band A Statutory Homeless - 2022/23 = 23 , 2023/24 =26 , and 2024/25 = 20

Band C owed a Prevention/Relief Duty 2022/23 = 1 , 2023/24 = 3 , and 2024/25 = 4