Homelessness and Advice

Advisory Officers provide comprehensive advice on such issues as homelessness, tenancy issues, mortgage arrears, domestic violence, illegal evictions, help and assistance to vulnerable people and single homeless people and any other issues relating to housing problems.

The aim of the service is also to prevent homelessness by using a basket of 'tools' that can be applied in individual circumstances. These include a written bond scheme, help with discretionary housing payments, income maximisation, debt referral scheme to the Citizens Advice Bureau, mediation, and a Safe at Home scheme for victims of domestic violence.

Work is ongoing with other agencies and voluntary groups to carry out prevention and provide advice within the community, in a variety of different settings.

There is a statutory duty to provide help and advice to homeless people under the terms of the 1996 Housing Act as amended by the Homelessness Act 2002, and in some cases to provide temporary accommodation. This involves liaising closely with other agencies throughout North East Lincolnshire and working with other local authorities.

A duty Homelessness Officer works daily from the Customer Access Point at the Municipal Offices and an out of office hours emergency call-out service is provided every day of the year by the Emergency Duty Team.

The emergency call-out service deals with out of hours referrals from agencies such as Shelter, Women's Aid, the Police, YMCA and the Salvation Army.

The service has been awarded the Community Legal Services Quality Mark, which is a nationally recognised standard, awarded to suppliers for advice and information.

For further information or advice Telephone (01472) 326401 or (01472) 326403

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