§ Mr. Barnes:To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make it his policy that a housing applicant exiled from Northern Ireland because of intimidation should be accepted as homeless and entitled to an emergency payment. [142738]
§ Yvette Cooper:People fleeing violence or threat of violence in Northern Ireland and seeking homelessness assistance from a local housing authority in England would be treated on the same basis as any other applicant fleeing violence or a threat of violence likely to be carried out.
Under the homelessness legislation (Part 7 of the Housing Act 1996 as amended by the Homelessness Act 2002), local housing authorities must ensure that suitable accommodation is available for applicants who 750W have become homeless through no fault of their own if they are eligible for assistance and fall within a priority need group (the main homelessness duty). Certain persons from abroad are ineligible for assistance. In deciding whether someone is homeless, authorities must consider whether it would be reasonable for someone to continue to occupy their current home. It would not be reasonable for someone to do so, if it was probable that continued occupation would lead to violence against the applicant, any member of his or her family or any other person who might reasonably be expected to live with the applicant.
The priority need groups include families with dependant children, households that include a pregnant woman; young people aged 16 and 17 (except those owed certain duties by social services); care leavers aged 18 to 20; people who are vulnerable as a result of fleeing their home because of violence; people who are vulnerable as a result of time spent in care, in custody or in the armed services and people who are vulnerable as a result of some other special reason.
Where an applicant is accepted as eligible for assistance, homeless through no fault of their own but not in priority need the housing authority must provide advice and assistance to help the applicant find accommodation for him or herself.
People coming from Northern Ireland would be able to apply to Jobcentre Plus for a Crisis Loan from the Social Fund. These loans are intended for applicants who are unable to meet their immediate short-term needs either in an emergency or as a consequence of a disaster.
The applicant does not have to be in receipt of any benefit, but the decision maker will generally take any income or capital that they have into account.
The need for help will generally be for a specific item or service or immediate living expenses for a short period, not normally exceeding 14 days.