In Hammersmith & Fulham, there is an annual quota of 50 social housing nominations reserved for care leavers, known as the children leaving care (CLC) quota.
When a young person is considered by the panel to be ready to be nominated to join the Housing Register through the CLC quota, they must also meet the qualification criteria for social housing as set out in the Housing Allocation Scheme.
This decision is not within the authority of the Care Leavers' Housing Panel, however, where they are aware a nomination would not qualify, they can make a recommendation and seek approval on an exceptional basis, through authority delegated to the assistant director of housing.
The majority of social housing units available through the CLC nomination are studio properties, although 1-bedroom flats may be offered on occasion. These will predominantly be for single parents or young pregnant women, who would be accepting the property on the basis it is one room smaller than their need. If a larger property is required, or a single parent or pregnant woman, does not want a property one room smaller than their need, they can make a homeless application rather than be nominated through the CLC quota.
Care Leavers can make applications to join the Housing Register outside of being nominated through the CLC quota, through the same routes available to all other applicants (such as a housing or homelessness application) but will not necessarily receive Band 1 priority via this route. This will depend on their circumstances and meeting the eligibility criteria.
Whilst the majority of care leavers nominated through the CLC quota will be under 21, there are some young people who will not move on in this time and will remain open to the Leaving Care service due to reasons such as being at university or issues in resolving their immigration status. A small number of young people who are over the age of 21 may therefore be nominated through the quota each year.
Application submission
If the Leaving Care Accommodation Panel agrees to nominate a young person through the CLC quota, the next steps are as follows:
the panel administrator will email the Care Leaver's Housing Panel decision sheet to the senior housing solutions assistant. This ensures the date of the Panel decision to nominate, is recorded as the registration date for the subsequent housing application form.
The care leaver must complete a housing register application form (with assistance from the care leaver's housing advisor if necessary) and return this to the senior housing solutions assistant, copying in the housing register email address and the panel's housing representative. The email should be clearly marked 'Nomination from Care Leavers Housing Panel' and should correlate with the decision sheet already sent following the panel decision.
Applications should be received within 4 weeks of the care leaver being notified of the panel decision. Any longer than this, and the panel may choose to revisit the original decision.
If the care leaver has any mobility needs or requires an adapted property, updated information should be provided with the application.
The Housing Solutions team will then process and verify the care leaver's application and add them to the council's Housing Register under Band 1 priority.
If the young person has previously been nominated through the Children Leaving Care quota and has had to surrender their tenancy, they will no longer be eligible for LBHF's offer of Band 1 priority for social housing allocated via the CLC quota.
However, discretion to retain Band 1 priority may be made in exceptional circumstances if the young person is under 25 and it can demonstrated that the young person is capable of maintaining a tenancy and for example has had no issues in their tenancy prior to going into custody. This will be presented at and agreed by the Housing director's discretion panel.
Offers and property viewings
Young people nominated via the CLC quota will be made up to two direct offers of suitable accommodation. This may be a council or housing association property, based on availability and affordability, and is likely to be a studio flat.
Housing allocations will contact the young person and their social worker to offer property viewings; the young person's social worker or keyworker will attend the viewing alongside the young person.
Young people should not be offered viewings of properties that require major void works and should be shown properties where these works have already been completed and are therefore nearing 'ready to let', with the expectation that the young person should be able to move in within 2 weeks of viewing the property. If it can be avoided, multiple young people should also not be shown the same property as this can be problematic.
Quarterly information sessions are offered between the Housing Allocations and Leaving Care service with all young people due to be brought to an upcoming panel, or recently nominated at panel, to prepare them for their offer of social housing.
This helps young people to understand what a reasonable offer is, alternative options and the implications of refusing the offer. If the young person refuses the offer, then they should have a valid reason for doing so, and can be given one other offer. If the young person again refuses the second offer, they do have a right of appeal; however, if the appeal is not successful then they will lose their nomination and have to either move into the PRS or present as homeless.
Tenancies will initially be introductory tenancies but will convert to a secure tenancy once the probationary period has been completed. An introductory tenancy usually lasts for 12 months which, unless extended (or terminated) for tenancy breaches, automatically becomes a secure tenancy.
Suitable accommodation
It is our commitment that young people nominated via the CLC quota will only be offered suitable accommodation.
This is defined as accommodation which:
- so far as reasonably practicable is suitable for the young person in light of their identified and assessed needs
- is genuinely affordable for the young person
- the responsible authority has satisfied itself as to the character and suitability of the landlord or other provider
- complies with Health and Safety requirements related to rented accommodation
- the responsible authority has so far as reasonably practicable taken into account the young person's wishes and feelings.
Signing up for a property
When a care leaver is invited to sign up for a property, their housing officer (or social worker, keyworker or foster carer) should accompany them to sign up, and ensure that all relevant documentation for example, proof of income and or benefits, is provided to the property provider.
The care leaver's housing officer (or social worker or keyworker) should support the care leaver to apply for the housing element of Universal Credit and any other benefits they are entitled to.