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Whether the Council has an interim duty to secure accommodation for you will depends on the answers to the tests below.   

Are you Homeless? 

For assistance you will have to be homeless or threatened with homelessness within 56 days.  Under S.55 (1)-(3) Housing (Wales) Act 2014 a person is homeless if they have no accommodation in the UK or elsewhere which is available for his or her occupation and which that person has a legal right to occupy. A person is also homeless if they have accommodation but cannot secure entry to it.

Are you eligible for assistance? 

For assistance you must normally live in the United Kingdom and be entitled to public funds. However, the rules around eligibility are detailed so you may want to seek independent advice on your status.

Are you in priority need? 

We consider you to be in priority need if:

  • You have dependent children;
  • You (or somebody living with you) are pregnant;
  • You have become homeless due to fleeing domestic violence (whether you are a man or a woman);
  • You have become homeless due to an emergency such as fire or flood:
  • You are aged 16 or 17 years of age;
  • You are leaving care and are aged between 18 and 21 and are at particular risk of sexual or financial exploitation;
  • You are homeless on leaving the armed forces;
  • You are vulnerable as a result of old age, mental illness or handicap, physical disability, chronic illness;
  • Prison leavers – Whilst an automatic priority is no longer given to offenders on release from a custodial sentence or youth detention accommodation, Local Authorities will consider vulnerabilities as a result of any time spent in custody.

Are you intentionally Homeless?

If you lost your accommodations through a deliberate act or omission which you knew would make you homeless we will consider you to be intentionally homeless. Examples of this may be;

  • You sold/gave up your home when there was no need to do so and you did not find other suitable accommodation.
  • You did not pay your rent/mortgage when you could afford to do so.
  • You ignored housing advice which would have prevented the loss of your home.
  • You were evicted because of anti-social behaviour.

If we consider you to be intentionally homeless we will not provide you with permanent accommodation but will offer advice and help to find suitable accommodation yourself

Do you have a local connection to Monmouthshire?

You will be considered to have a local connection if:

  • You normally live here, or have lived here in the past, of your own choice
  • You work in the County (other than in the Armed Forces)
  • You have a close family member living in Monmouthshire
  • There are special circumstances which connect you to the area

If you do not have a connection with the area but have a connection to another area we will refer your homelessness application to the Council in that area. If there is more than one Council where you have a local connection then you can choose which one you would prefer us to approach.

If we find that you are homeless, eligible for assistance; in priority need and not intentionally homeless then you will be offered temporary accommodation.