Facing Homelessness

If you are homeless or threatened with homelessness within the next 56 days, we will take reasonable steps to investigate your circumstances.

We will offer you advice tailored to your circumstances. We may have a duty to help you prevent or relieve your homelessness. 

In certain situations, there may be a duty to provide you with accommodation in accordance with homeless legislation. 

To determine the type of assistance available to you, the Council must consider the following factors:

Eligibility

You must be either a UK National or have settled status and not subject to immigration control.

Homelessness or threatened with homelessness

To be considered homeless, you must not have any accommodation available to reside within the UK or anywhere else in the world.

You're considered to be threatened with homelessness if you are likely to become homeless within 56 days.

Priority need

You will only be provided with accommodation by the Council if you are considered to be in priority need.  Priority need groups include:

• families with dependent children
• pregnant females
• Under 21s who were looked after and accommodated by a Local Authority. 
• a person who is vulnerable as a result of old age, mental illness, learning disability or physical disability or any other special reason. 
• people who have become homeless following an emergency, such as a flood or fire

You may also be considered to be in priority need if we have reason to believe that you are vulnerable as a result of the following;

• had to leave your home because of violence or harassment
• have been in care
• were in the armed forces
• have been in a young offenders’ institute or prison in the past

Intentional Homelessness

In simple terms, this means you have caused your own homelessness. If you are found to be intentionally homeless, the Council has no duty to provide you with long-term accommodation. A common example of intentional homelessness is when a tenant fails to pay rent when they could afford to do so and has become homeless as a result of this.

Local connection

Generally, you have a local connection if:

• You have lived in the borough 6 out of the last 12 months, or 3 out of the last 5 years
• You work in the borough
• You have a close relative (mother, father, sister, brother, adult son or adult daughter) that currently lives in the borough of Reigate and Banstead and they have lived here for at least the last 5 years.
• You have any other special circumstances that mean you need to reside in Reigate & Banstead specifically. 

If you are concerned about becoming homeless, then please contact us using the details provided on our Facing Homelessness page.