Court Rules In Favour Of Single Mother Declared 'Intentionally Homeless'

The supreme court has ordered a council to reconsider its decision to declare a single mother of four to be “intentionally homeless” because she was unable to afford the rent. The unanimous ruling by five justices sets a significant precedent that will expand the housing responsibilities of underfunded local authorities. The case of Terryann Samuels, whose children are all under the age of 16, also highlights the way in which the Legal Aid Agency (LAA) repeatedly refused to support her appeal even though she was in immediate danger of being turned out on to the street. Read more on the Guardian website.

https://www.theguardian.com/law/2019/jun/12/supreme-court-rules-in-favour-of-single-mother-declared-intentionally-homeless

Government Urged To ‘Rip Up’ Housing Policy To Help Grenfell Survivors

Jayesh Kunwardia, partner at London law firm Hodge Jones & Allen says he has become “increasingly concerned” that the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (RBKC) has yet to explain how its current homelessness policy will apply to the hundreds of people it now has to house. He says: “I’ve already spoken to a number of former Grenfell Tower residents who have refused RBKC’s offer of temporary accommodation outside of the borough and have opted to stay with family or friends instead. “However, by doing so, this means that under the council’s current policy, RBKC could now refuse to accept a duty to house them under the Housing Act as they have made themselves “intentionally homeless. Read more on 24housing.

London Councils Trying To Force Homeless Families Out Of Capital

A handful of London councils are making aggressive use of legal powers to make “take or leave it” offers of housing in locations far away from the capital in an attempt to permanently resettle hundreds of homeless families. Officials are giving households 24 hours to accept private rented homes in the West Midlands, Essex and the south-east, warning that if they refuse the council will consider them to have become “intentionally homeless” and withdraw support. Research suggests half of offers made by 28 councils in locations in the West Midlands, more than 100 miles from London, are rejected, suggesting that many families are prepared to risk becoming homeless again rather than be uprooted from jobs and family support networks. Read more on the Guardian website.

Supreme Court Rules on Intentional Homelessness

Councils will have to consider extra factors before deciding that someone is ‘intentionally homeless’, following a Supreme Court decision. The ruling means local authorities will have to examine their own procedures for assessing whether someone has deliberately made themselves homeless and therefore does not have to be housed. The decision follows a separate landmark Supreme Court ruling last week, which is likely to expand the number of people local authorities assess as ‘vulnerable’ and therefore have priority for housing. As a result of the latest decision, councils will have to take into account events or circumstances which take place after an applicant leaves or loses their home before they can decide if someone is intentionally homeless. Read more on the Supreme Court website.