Agenda item

Report of the Executive Director, Community & Children’s Services.

The Sub-Committee received a report of the Executive Director, Community & Children’s Services concerning a summary of the City of London’s legal duty to accommodate households under the Housing Act 1996.

The following points were noted:

·        Legal Duty and Demand: The report provided a summary of the City of London's legal duty to accommodate households under the Housing Act 1996, as amended by the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017. It described how the demand for temporary accommodation has increased over recent years.

·        Increased Costs: The report demonstrated the increased cost to the City of London in providing temporary accommodation. This includes the financial implications of meeting the legal requirements to secure accommodation for eligible applicants.

·        Accommodation Duty: The Housing Act 1996 sets out an interim duty to secure accommodation where enquiries are being made into a homeless application. This duty arises when a local authority has reason to believe that an applicant may be homeless, eligible for assistance, and have a priority need.

·        Main Housing Duty: When a local authority has accepted a main housing duty to an applicant, Section 193 accommodation duty arises. This requires the local authority to ensure that the applicant has access to suitable temporary accommodation until they are rehoused and the Section 193 duty is discharged.