What happens after you submit an application?
Find out what happens after you submit your application. What to expect during your initial triage call and homeless assessment appointment.
After you submit your form — initial triage call
After you submit a homeless application, we will contact you to ask a few 'triage' questions. These are designed to see if you are legally homeless or at risk of homelessness and qualify for help.
You will then be booked in for a homeless assessment. This takes place either face to face or over the phone.
Your homeless assessment appointment
At your homeless assessment appointment, we will ask you questions about your circumstances. Please be open and honest with us. We will ask you about:
- your local connections in the area — close family, a job
- how long you have lived in the area
- whether you have been granted refugee status in Liverpool
- the reasons for your homelessness
- your finances
- who else is in your household
- anything that makes you vulnerable
- any special circumstances that may affect your application.
Find out more about what happens as a homeless assessment (shelter.org.uk)
How we decide what support we can give you
The answers you give at your homeless assessment appointment help us work out what type of support we have a duty to offer you.
We may ask you, or the professionals who support you, for more evidence. It's important you give us this evidence.
If we agree that you are legally homeless or at risk of homelessness and qualify for help, we'll tell you what support we can give you.
The range of support on offer
Help ranges from advice and information, to a Personal Housing Plan or longer-term housing support. If you qualify, we will:
- try to help prevent you becoming homeless if you have an eviction notice
- offer advice and help to resolve homelessness.
What is a Personal Housing Plan?
A Personal Housing Plan will include actions that both you and your Housing Officer agree to take. Your Housing Officer may:
- give you advice about your rights as a tenant
- talk to your family or friends if they've told you to leave
- help you make a claim for housing benefit or discretionary housing payments
- help you find suitable Registered Social Landlord (RSL) accommodation
- help you find private rented accommodation
- refer you to other organisations such as the NHS, welfare benefits or debt advice.
What you must do
While we work with you to resolve your housing needs, you must:
- co-operate as much as you can
- tell us if your benefits or the number of people in your household change
- provide any evidence requested promptly
- carry out the tasks agreed in your Personal Housing Plan
- actively manage your Property Pool Plus account
- treat our staff with respect.
We won't be able to help if you:
- refuse to work with us
- don't carry out the tasks agreed in your Personal Housing Plan.
Additional help for those in need
Additional help is on offer to the following groups of people:
- families with dependent children who do not qualify for support — we will refer you on to children's services
- people with mental health needs who are facing homelessness
- people experiencing domestic abuse facing homelessness
- patients in a general or mental health ward — please speak to ward staff so they can assess your needs
- prison leavers — your housing advice and resettlement worker will work with you. You can also make a homeless application
- armed forces personnel — support is available via Service Leavers Liverpool
- care leavers — can get help from the leaving care team.