Our client had been a prisoner and upon his release in April 2020 he approached his local authority for homeless assistance. The local authority did not take steps to investigate his homelessness or provide suitable accommodation. This was despite our client being street homeless and being deemed to be at high risk if infected with Covid-19, due to underlying health conditions.
We sent an urgent letter before claim to the local authority, submitting that they had:
- Breached s.188 Housing Act 1996 by failing to provide interim accommodation pending their enquiries of our client’s full homeless application, and that they should provide this accommodation, and
- Breached section 189B(2) Housing Act 1996 by failing to carry out reasonable steps to help our client secure suitable accommodation and failing to review a personalised housing plan.
- Breached Covid 19 guidance from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, by failing to find accommodation for a person who is rough sleeping
Following receipt of our letter before claim the local authority conceded and provided accommodation for our client. This was a self-contained flat due to our client’s risk of covid-19 which has allowed him to safely self-isolate, and additionally it was in his preferred local area near his family and general support network.
