Disclosure Log

support for care leavers (FOI/4574)

Message from Nottinghamshire County Council - 24 July 2024

Dear ***** *****

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT 2000 – REQUEST FOR INFORMATION REFERENCE FOI/4574

Thank you for your request for information relating to support for care leavers.

We are now able to provide the following information:

1) Are care leavers given any “reasonable preference” for social housing under your local authority’s social housing allocations policy

Under the Local Offer for Care Leavers, Nottinghamshire Care Leavers are given Band B priority status for 12 weeks and then will be increased to Band A for Social Housing with whichever of the seven district/borough councils they prefer. They would only access this with one preferred council (local connection is removed) and they need to be identified as tenancy ready by the Leaving Care Service. This is for care leavers who have UK Citizenship or leave to remain status.

2) How many priority bands or categories does your local authority housing allocation policy have

There are usually 4 bands within the district and borough council’s housing allocation policy with Band A or Band 1 being identified as the highest priority.

3) Under your local authority’s social housing allocations policy, which priority banding would care leavers be given if they had no additional need or vulnerability

4) Are there any circumstances or criteria in which care leavers from other local authorities can be assessed as having a local area connection under your local authority’s housing allocations policy, and if so, what are these circumstances or criteria

This is decided on a case by case basis by the relevant district / borough council.

5) What are the criteria or circumstances in which care leavers aged 21-25 can be assessed as in priority need for a homelessness duty

All seven district/borough councils in Nottinghamshire can assess care leavers up to the age of 25 as being priority in respect of homelessness duty. However, we have a dedicated Homelessness Prevention Personal Adviser within the Nottinghamshire Leaving Care Service as well as our own commissioned Care Leaver Emergency Accommodation (CLEA) in order to avoid street homelessness, homelessness presentations or decisions of intentional homelessness. We have identified care leaver champions within all seven district /borough councils who we would contact to discuss support plans and emergency accommodation options in order to avoid homelessness presentations. We will also support the young person via our dedicated 21Plus Service to address the issues presenting that may be contributing to the situation of homelessness or risk of homelessness to address this and prevent the homelessness presentation in the first instance.

6) Are there circumstances or criteria in which care leavers can be assessed as intentionally homeless, and if so, what are these circumstances / criteria

Nottinghamshire County Council and all seven district/borough councils in Nottinghamshire have under the Local Offer for Care Leavers and our Looked After and Care Leaver Partnership Strategy, agreed to work together to prevent intentionality decisions around homelessness. Sometimes these are unavoidable as the young person has made choices or is in a situation where poor judgement choices have been made and there are consequences of these. However, we use our Care Leaver Emergency Accommodation (CLEA) as a route to reset their tenancy history and provide up to 12 weeks wrap around support, address the tenancy sustainability issues and then communicate with the relevant district/borough council about being tenancy ready again and accessing social housing.

7) Does your local authority have a joint housing protocol for care leavers across children’s services and housing services

Nottinghamshire does have a joint housing protocol for care leavers across children’s services and housing services. This has been attached for your reference. Last updated in 2021.

8) Does your local authority currently provide a housing guarantor scheme for care leavers, and if so, what are the eligibility criteria for this scheme

Nottinghamshire County Council will act as a guarantor for care leavers if this is required. We try and negotiate that this is not required in the first instance with the landlord / agency and instead provide either rent in advance and/or a deposit so that they tenancy is in the young person’s name solely. However, if the situation requires a guarantor then we can follow this option. The accommodation in the first instance needs to be appropriate, affordable and sustainable for the young person before any guarantor agreement is made. This is usually for an initial 6 months and then reviewed.

9) Does your local authority currently provide a tenancy deposit scheme for care leavers, and if so, what are the eligibility criteria for this scheme

Nottinghamshire County Council will provide either rent in advance and/or offer the deposit for a recognised deposit scheme. The accommodation in the first instance needs to be appropriate, affordable and sustainable for the young person before any deposit agreement is made. The deposit is refundable to Nottinghamshire County Council at the end of the tenancy. However, we usually agree that if this is returned it can be used against another deposit scheme if required.

For future reference, Nottinghamshire County Council regularly publishes previous FOI requests and answers on its website, under Disclosure logs, that may provide details relating to your query. (see link) https://www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/council-and-democracy/freedom-of-information/disclosure-log

We trust this now satisfies your request and that you find this information to be helpful.

If you are dissatisfied with the handling of your request, you have the right to ask for an internal review. Requests should be submitted within 40 working days of the date of receipt of the response to your original request and should be addressed to: Complaints and Information Team, Nottinghamshire County Council, County Hall, Loughborough Road, West Bridgford, NOTTINGHAM, NG2 7QP or [email protected] .

If you are not content with the outcome of the internal review, you have the right to apply directly to the Information Commissioner for a decision. The Information Commissioner can be contacted at: Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, WILMSLOW, SK9 5AF or https://ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint/foi-and-eir-complaints/

Please remember to quote the reference number above in any future communications.

Your privacy: we use your personal information such as name and address so that we can comply with our legal obligations to respond to FOI requests. For further details about the use of information about you, please see the information handling privacy notice on our website at https://www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/media/4323566/informationgovernanceandinformationrightsprivacynotice.pdf

Yours sincerely

Complaints and Information Team
Chief Executives Department
Nottinghamshire County Council

The Council is committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring all personal information is kept confidential and safe. For more details see our general and service specific privacy notices at: https://www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/global-content/privacy