4.1 Reasons for the ending of prevention duties

A prevention duty owed to an applicant can be discharged or ended for a number of reasons, for example because alternative accommodation has been found for a household, or because we have taken steps to enable a household to remain in their existing home.

Between April 2018 and June 2021, prevention duties were ended for a total of 1809 households, of which, accommodation was secured for 1240 households.

The top 5 reasons for prevention duties ending were:

1. The household moved into alternative accommodation: 689

2. The household were helped to remain in their existing accommodation: 551

3. 56 days elapsed meaning that the relief duty was triggered: 247

4. The household became homeless, including intentional homelessness: 170

5. The application was withdrawn by the applicant or the applicant passed away: 70

4.2 Reasons for the ending of relief duties

A relief duty owed to an applicant can also be discharged or ended for a number of reasons, for example because alternative accommodation has been secured for six months or more, or because the 56 day ‘relief period’ has elapsed, after which a final assessment of statutory homelessness is made.

Between April 2018 and June 2021, relief duties were ended for a total of 544 households.

The top 5 reasons for prevention duties ending were:

1. Accommodation was secured for 6 or more months: 247

2. 56 days elapsed triggering the end of the relief duty period: 214

3. The application was withdrawn by the applicant or the applicant passed away: 49

4. Contact was lost because the applicant disengaged: 12

5. The applicant became intentionally homeless from accommodation provided: 8

4.3 Main homelessness duties

Where a relief duty cannot be discharged, a final statutory ‘main duty’ homelessness decision must be made. Between April 2018 and June 2021, 202 main duty decisions were made:

• 84 households were found to be homeless, in priority need for assistance and unintentionally homeless.
• 48 households were found to be homeless, in priority need for assistance but intentionally homeless.
• 62 households were found to be homeless but with no ‘priority need’ for assistance.
• 8 households were found to be not homeless