FOI request (FOI220679)

Armed Forces

Requested Tue 01 August 2017
Responded Tue 01 August 2017

• Have housing staff been instructed to ask an individual applying for housing in your local authority whether he/she has served in the Armed Forces? (Please answer with either yes, no, don’t know, other)
• Do staff routinely ask an individual applying for housing in your local authority whether he/she has served in the Armed Forces? (Please answer with either yes, no, don’t know, other)

Please note - if you outsource your housing application function please respond on behalf of your supplier.

Response

When customers present for housing they are asked to complete a Housing Options Assessment Form prior to their appointment with a Housing Options Officer. On this form we ask the following question 'Formerly in Armed Forces – If yes, Date from…….…. Date to….…….' The Housing Options officer will go through the form with the customer when they have their appointment. Based on the information provided, the Housing Options Officer will then establish whether or not the customer is eligible to join our housing register in accordance with our Homemove Allocation Scheme 2012 (revised 2014) http://www.hastings.gov.uk/housing/social_housing/sussex_homemove/

Customers can also use an online form 'Housing Register form' on http://www.hastings.gov.uk/housing/social_housing/sussex_homemove/ to check if they are eligible to join the Housing Register. On this form we ask the following question 'Have you or a member of your family been in the armed forces within the last 5 years?'