Homelessness in Scotland: 2017 to 2018

A Quick Guide to Homelessness Applications

There are three stages:

1. The Application stage where the household first presents to the council.
2. The Assessment stage where the Local Authority assesses:
a. whether the applicant is homeless;
b. if so, whether the applicant made themselves homeless intentionally; and
c. if they were unintentionally homeless, and if they have no local connection with the Local Authority to which they made the application, the Local Authority may test whether they have a local connection with another Local Authority area and refer the household to the other authority.
3. The Outcome stage. The type of accommodation the applicant is entitled to depends on the Local Authority’s assessment decision.

Applicants are entitled to temporary accommodation:

• whilst they are awaiting an assessment decision;
• whilst waiting for settled accommodation to be found; or
• if they are intentionally homeless, then they are provided with temporary accommodation and advice and assistance to help them secure alternative accommodation.

More information on the duty to provide temporary accommodation can be found in the Code of Guidance on Homelessness.