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Homelessness In Clackmannanshire

Homelessness In Clackmannanshire

If you are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless, contact our Housing Options Team on 01259 225008.

As a Local Authority, we have a legal duty to assist those who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. If you find yourself in such a situation, our Housing Options Team is here to provide advice, information, and explore your housing options with you.

What to do if I find myself homeless or threatened with homelessness?

You should contact our Housing Options Team on 01259 225115 if you:

• have nowhere you can stay;
• have accommodation but you cannot live in it;
• are going to become homeless within the next two months.

For emergencies outside office hours, call 01259 450000.

What happens next?

Once you contact us, our friendly and experienced Casework Officer will interview you to assess your situation. This interview will be private and confidential.

If you have nowhere to stay, temporary accommodation will be offered while we assess your case. Depending on your circumstances and the reasons for your homelessness, you may receive a suitable offer of permanent housing. In any circumstances, we will provide you with the advice and information relevant to your individual circumstances.

Assessing your situation

During your interview, a Casework Officer will carefully assess your application. The outcome will depend on your individual circumstances and the reasons you contacted us. 

We will determine whether:

• You are homeless or threatened with homelessness;
• You are unintentionally or intentionally homeless.

What does it mean to be homeless or threatened with homelessness?

You are considered to be legally homeless or threatened with homelessness if you:

• have no safe or secure place to live;
• have nowhere that you and your family can live together;
• are unable to stay in your current home due to domestic abuse, threat of violence, including racial or other harassment;
• are unable to stay in your current home because it does not meet the tolerable standard and affects your or your family’s health;
• live in a mobile home, caravan or boat, but have nowhere to legally park or moor it;
• you currently have a place to live but are at the risk of losing it.

In cases where you are threatened with homelessness, we may offer advice and help prevent you becoming homeless. For example, ensuring you are in receipt of the correct benefits; or contacting your landlord to try and prevent an eviction.

Assessing if you are intentionally homeless

The Council will assess if you became homeless due to your owns actions, or by failing to do something, such as if you were evicted for not paying your rent or if you gave up a tenancy without finding somewhere else to live. Your Homeless Officer will fully assess your individual circumstances, and look at all reasons that contributed to you becoming homeless, or threatened with homelessness.

If you are found intentionally homeless or intentionally threatened with homelessness, we are not required to provide you with permanent accommodation. However, we will still provide you with relevant advice and information to help you address your situation.

Am I eligible for homeless support?

Your right to homelessness advice and assistance depends on your immigration status. In most circumstances, you will be eligible for homeless support from us if you:

• have British or Irish citizenship;
• have refugee status;
• have indefinite leave to remain;
• have settled or pre-settled status (with additional criteria for pre-settled).

Local connections

If you are from Scotland, you can apply as homeless to any council in Scotland.

If you are from elsewhere in the UK, you must have a local connection to Clackmannanshire. This can include having close family here or working in the area. In certain cases, we may consider special circumstances, such as fleeing domestic abuse or if you have no local connection anywhere in the UK.

In some cases, you may be referred to a council in England or Wales if you have a local connection there.

How long will the assessment take?

We aim to complete your assessment within 28 days. However, the timeframe may vary depending on your individual circumstances and the details of your application. Your Casework Officer will keep you updated on the progress of your case throughout the process.

Temporary housing

If you require temporary housing while your application is being assessed, the Council can provide accommodation.

You may be provided with temporary accommodation in one of the following:

• Fully furnished property owned by the Council or a Housing Association
• Supported accommodation for young single people
• Supported accommodation for women fleeing domestic abuse 
• Supported accommodation for people with additional support needs
• Bed and Breakfast establishments

We will consider your needs and preferences when offering temporary accommodation. However, due to high demand and pressures on the Council’s Homelessness Services, it may not always be possible to provide your preferred type or location of accommodation.

Permanent housing

If we find you to be unintentionally homeless or at risk of homelessness, you will be awarded homelessness points to prioritise you for permanent housing and your application will be placed on our housing waiting list.

If you need it, we will make sure you have temporary accommodation while you wait for a permanent home.

You will receive one reasonable offer of permanent accommodation. If you refuse this offer, you will no longer be entitled to temporary accommodation and will need to arrange alternative housing.

Right of appeal

If you are unhappy with the decision regarding your homelessness application, you have the right to appeal by requesting a further review. You must appeal within 21 days of getting the written decision. Your request should be in writing and must include details explaining why you believe the decision was incorrect.

If you do not have anywhere to stay while your appeal is being reviewed, we will ensure temporary accommodation is available until a decision is reached. Please send your request to us using the contact details below.

Alternatively, you can visit a Housing Options shop at Kilncraigs to explain why you believe the decision was wrong.

Your case will be carefully reassessed, taking into account all circumstances and any new information you provide. Following the review, we may reconsider the original decision.

The outcome of the review will be provided in a decision letter, which will explain the reasons behind the final decision. If you are still dissatisfied after the review, you have the right to seek a judicial review. You may also raise your concerns with the Local Government Ombudsman.