Apply for homeless housing help

Who is eligible and how we can help

The law says we have to find you a home if all the following apply:

  • You are homeless.
  • You are eligible for assistance.
  • You have a priority need for housing, as defined by law.
  • You have not become homeless intentionally.
  • You have a local connection with Welwyn Hatfield.

We explain what each of these mean below.

If you do not meet all of the criteria above and we cannot help you as a homeless person. There is advice in the rest of this section which may help you.

If you do meet all of the homelessness criteria you can apply for help with homelessness.

 

You are homeless

By law, you are homeless if you do not have a home in the UK or anywhere else in the world available for you to occupy. You would also be homeless if you have a home but it is not reasonable for you to continue living in it.

 

You are eligible for assistance

Not everyone is eligible for assistance. It is based on your immigration status and where you have been living. Most UK residents are eligible for help, but some people from abroad are not. The law in this area is very complicated and the following only gives an introduction.

You might not be eligible if any of the following apply:

  • You are not habitually resident in the UK or Ireland.
  • You are an EU or EEA national but not classed as a 'worker'.
  • You are an EU or EEA national incapable of work and have never worked.
  • You are a person from abroad who does not have a legal right to public funds.

 

You have a priority need for housing

You are in priority need if any of the following apply to you or to a member of your household:

  • You are pregnant.
  • You have dependent children.
  • You are homeless as a result of emergency such as fire, flood or other disaster
  • You are vulnerable as a result of old age, mental illness, physical disability or other special reason.
  • You are a child aged 16 or 17, subject to exceptions.
  • You are a young person under 21, who has been looked after, accommodated or fostered, but who is not a student in full time education.
  • You are vulnerable as a result of having served in the armed forces, having been imprisoned or ceasing to occupy accommodation because of actual or threatened violence.

 

You have not become homeless intentionally

We have to make sure you didn't become homeless intentionally. You may be intentionally homeless if you are evicted from your home because you did not pay your rent even though you could have, or you gave up your home when it was reasonable for you to continue living there.

 

You have a local connection with Welwyn Hatfield

You have a connection with Welwyn Hatfield if any of the following apply to you:

  • You have lived in Welwyn Hatfield for at least six of the last twelve months or three of the last five years.
  • You have a close relative who has lived in Welwyn Hatfield for the past five years.
  • You have a permanent job in Welwyn Hatfield.