Qualification Criteria

Criteria

The four main criteria, which must be satisfied by applicants, are that they:

1. are homeless
2. are in priority need
3. are unintentionally homeless; and
4. have a local connection to the area.

Code of Guidance on Homelessness

Detailed guidance is contained in The Scottish Office's "Code of Guidance on Homelessness", published in September 1997. This code provides guidance to Authorities as how to interpret each of these criteria.

Key points to note about each of the criteria, sometimes described as hurdles, are as follows:

Homelessness

This means the applicant and anyone who would reasonably be expected to live with them either:

• has no accommodation - anywhere in the United Kingdom or anywhere else which he or she is entitled or permitted to occupy, or
• is threatened with homelessness within 2 months, or
• that it is unreasonable to expect the applicant to go on living in their present home - typically because of the threat of violence from another member of the household or because the accommodation is so sub-standard that it presents a real danger to the health of the applicant.

Priority need

The following have a priority need for accommodation:

• a person who is pregnant or a person with whom a pregnant person resides
• a person having dependent children
• a person who is homeless or threatened with homelessness because of an emergency such as flood, fire or any other disaster

or the person is vulnerable due to:

• being over 60 or, if younger, in poor physical or mental health
• being physically or mentally disabled
• being a 16 or 17 year old or a young person up to and including the age of 21 who was looked after (in care) at school leaving age
• or for any other 'special' reason, e.g. being 'at risk' of sexual or financial exploitation, alcohol or drug abuse, domestic violence or racial harassment or having recently suffered a miscarriage.

Intentionality

The Council must satisfy itself that the applicant did not deliberately do something or fail to do something which resulted in homelessness e.g.:

• refusing to pay rent for no proper reason
• a teenager leaving the parental home without presenting a compelling reason why he or she could not return

Local Connection

The applicant must have a local connection within Aberdeenshire, through residence, family living in the area or employment.

In certain, exceptional, circumstances an applicant with no local connection will be considered.