Homelessness Support
Case reference FOI2022/01842
Published 10 January 2023
Request
I am requesting the following information under the Freedom of Information Act.
Please note that DLUHC publishes homelessness data by quarter rather than by month - this request asks for data by month, because the intention is to compare the trajectory of homelessness presentations and decisions in England with the trajectories in Scotland and Northern Ireland, where additional tenant protections have been introduced. Monthly data is necessary for this purpose because of the specific timing of these tenant protections, and is not published elsewhere or scheduled for future publication elsewhere.
1. The number of households who were initially assessed for eligibility for homelessness support each month in 2022 (regardless of the outcome of that assessment)
2. The number of households who were assessed as being owed the prevention duty each month in 2022
3. The monthly figures for question 2 where the reason for the threat of loss of home was the end of an Assured Shorthold Tenancy (AST) (where the AST ended for any reason, including those specified in questions 4 and 5)
4. The monthly figures for question 2 where the reason for the threat of loss of home was the end of an AST due to rent arrears
5. The monthly figures for question 2 where the reason for the threat of loss of home was the end of an AST due to the landlord wishing to sell or re-let the property
6. The number of households who were assessed as being owed the relief duty as the outcome of their initial assessment (i.e. not at the end of their prevention duty) each month in 2022
7. The monthly figures for question 6 where the reason for the loss of home was the end of an Assured Shorthold Tenancy (AST) (where the AST ended for any reason, including those specified in questions 8 and 9)
8. The monthly figures for question 6 where the reason for the loss of home was the end of an AST due to rent arrears
9. The monthly figures for question 6 where the reason for the loss of home was the end of an AST due to the landlord wishing to sell or re-let the property
10. The number of households who were assessed as being owed the main housing duty each month in 2022
11. The number of households who were owed the relief duty at the end of their prevention duty period, each month in 2022
This request is for data on decisions taken in each month - so, if a household was initially assessed in January, but a decision to grant it the prevention duty (due to AST rent arrears) was made in February, that household would count towards the January figure for question 1 and the February figure for questions 2, 3 and 4. If at the end of its prevention duty period the household was then granted the relief duty in April, it would count towards the April figure for question 11. However, if the council holds data in a different way (e.g. counting the household in the above example as 'January' for questions 1, 2, 3, 4 and 11) please provide it in that format.
Where part-month data is provided for December, please state to what date it is correct.
Response
I am requesting the following information under the Freedom of Information Act.
Please note that DLUHC publishes homelessness data by quarter rather than by month - this request asks for data by month, because the intention is to compare the trajectory of homelessness presentations and decisions in England with the trajectories in Scotland and Northern Ireland, where additional tenant protections have been introduced. Monthly data is necessary for this purpose because of the specific timing of these tenant protections, and is not published elsewhere or scheduled for future publication elsewhere.
1. The number of households who were initially assessed for eligibility for homelessness support each month in 2022 (regardless of the outcome of that assessment)
2. The number of households who were assessed as being owed the prevention duty each month in 2022
3. The monthly figures for question 2 where the reason for the threat of loss of home was the end of an Assured Shorthold Tenancy (AST) (where the AST ended for any reason, including those specified in questions 4 and 5)
4. The monthly figures for question 2 where the reason for the threat of loss of home was the end of an AST due to rent arrears
5. The monthly figures for question 2 where the reason for the threat of loss of home was the end of an AST due to the landlord wishing to sell or re-let the property
6. The number of households who were assessed as being owed the relief duty as the outcome of their initial assessment (i.e. not at the end of their prevention duty) each month in 2022
7. The monthly figures for question 6 where the reason for the loss of home was the end of an Assured Shorthold Tenancy (AST) (where the AST ended for any reason, including those specified in questions 8 and 9)
8. The monthly figures for question 6 where the reason for the loss of home was the end of an AST due to rent arrears
9. The monthly figures for question 6 where the reason for the loss of home was the end of an AST due to the landlord wishing to sell or re-let the property
10. The number of households who were assessed as being owed the main housing duty each month in 2022
11. The number of households who were owed the relief duty at the end of their prevention duty period, each month in 2022
This request is for data on decisions taken in each month - so, if a household was initially assessed in January, but a decision to grant it the prevention duty (due to AST rent arrears) was made in February, that household would count towards the January figure for question 1 and the February figure for questions 2, 3 and 4. If at the end of its prevention duty period the household was then granted the relief duty in April, it would count towards the April figure for question 11. However, if the council holds data in a different way (e.g. counting the household in the above example as 'January' for questions 1, 2, 3, 4 and 11) please provide it in that format.
Where part-month data is provided for December, please state to what date it is correct.
Please see the attached spreadsheet.
Documents
This is Herefordshire Council's response to a freedom of information (FOI) or environmental information regulations (EIR) request.
You can browse our other responses or make a new FOI request.