Homelessness: after you contact us

If your homelessness has not been prevented by the end of the 56 day period (or earlier) and you become homeless, then we may have a duty (known as ‘relief duty’) to try for a further 56 days to help you to find alternative accommodation.  

At this stage, if you don’t have a local connection with Elmbridge, and we are satisfied you are homeless and have a priority need, you will be referred to a local authority where you hold a local connection for them to help you. 

If you are eligible for assistance, we need to assess if you have a priority need. This is important as it affects whether we need to secure you with temporary or interim accommodation if homeless.  

Priority need category groups are:

• families with dependent children
• pregnant households
• care leavers       
• those who are homeless as a result of being a victim of domestic abuse

People who are considered to be vulnerable if homeless due to:

• disability or mental illness
• old age
• serving in the armed forces
• being in custody, prison or young offenders institution      
• people who have become homeless following an emergency, such as a flood or fire

We will seek to provide you with interim accommodation (also known as temporary accommodation) if:

• we are satisfied you are in a priority need group
• you have no accommodation you can occupy
• we are satisfied you are homeless

During this relief period you will also be expected to try and secure your own accommodation, as well as acting on the advice you have been given. 

If you have still not secured accommodation during the relief period, we will consider whether we have a longer term legal duty to accommodate you.