1. Assessing your          circumstances

In order to fully assess your circumstances, we will require the following information for everyone in your household: 

• Names and dates of birth
• 5 year address history 
• Medical conditions or other support needs 
• Income and any benefits you receive 

We may also ask you to provide some or all of the following documents:

• Proof of ID such as passport or birth certificate
• Your dependants Birth Certificates
• Current tenancy agreement
• Any notice served by your landlord
• Medical conditions including pregnancies
• Financials such as bank statements, payslips and benefit letters

2. Your Personalised Housing Plan

If we determine that you are homeless, or threatened with homelessness, we will work with you to agree on the actions that will go in your Personalised Housing Plan.

Examples we may ask of you are: 

• Contacting your landlord to try to resolve particular issues
• Completing an income and expenditure form to assess your finances
• Keeping a record of any actions you’ve taken
• Contacting your family or friends to house you temporarily
• Seeking employment or privately rented accommodation

Your Caseworker may agree to:

• Give you advice about your rights as a tenant
• Talk to your family or friends if they’ve told you to leave
• Support you to make a claim for benefits or discretionary housing payments
• Help you find private rented accommodation
• Refer you to other organisations for specialist advice and support, such as the NHS, welfare benefits or debt advice

3. Following your assessment

You are expected to take the actions in your Personalised Housing Plan. Your Caseworker will also take the actions they’ve agreed to. You can contact your Caseworker if you have any questions.

We hope that by taking the actions in your Personalised Housing Plan and with our support, you won’t become homeless, or if you’re already homeless, you’ll find a place to live.

4. Further help

If after 56 days the actions in your Personalised Housing Plan haven’t been successful, you may, in certain situations qualify for the ‘Main Housing Duty’. This means that we will have a responsibility to provide you with temporary accommodation until you are offered either a council, housing association or a privately rented property.

To qualify for the main housing duty, all five conditions must apply:

• You need to be eligible for help
• You need to be legally homeless
• You need to be in priority need
• You need to have become homeless through no fault of your own
• You need to have a connection to Sutton

Things to consider and keep in mind

• It’s important for you to be open and honest at your assessment so your Caseworker can give you the correct solution, advice and support.
• It’s your responsibility to cooperate with us and do things to improve your housing situation. You must tell us if any of your circumstances change.
• If we believe that you are refusing to work with us or not carrying out the tasks in your Personalised Housing Plan, you may no longer be eligible for housing assistance.
• You probably won’t be offered a council property, even if you’re homeless. There are approximately 1600 households in Sutton who are currently on the waiting list for council or housing association housing, and there are very few available properties. The waiting time for council or housing association accommodation could be up to 5 years plus.
• If you don’t have a local connection to Sutton and are already homeless, you may be referred to another local authority where you do have a connection. If you are at risk of violence or domestic abuse to you in your local connection borough, this does not apply.

If you need further assistance, please click here for contact options

Support services and charities

• Sutton Night Watch
• St Mungos
• SPEAR London 

Useful links

• Homelessness advice at Shelter
• Help if you’re homeless at Gov.uk
• Homelessness at Citizens Advice Bureau