Applying For Accommodation
Please carefully read the below information before you begin your application.At Aspect Housing, we adhere to a strict Equal Opportunities Policy, therefore all applications will be considered from all sections of the community regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, belief, sexual orientation, disability, and employment. Please refer to our Equal Opportunities Policy for more information.
We do not discriminate against any form of disability and are able to provide wheelchair access to our office location.
Supported Accommodation
There are no specific requirements but referrals can include those that are in need of supported accommodation because:
1. They are refugees facing social exclusion with poor lifestyle skills.
Or
2. They are in need of floating support as a consequence of homelessness and/or substance misuse.
All applicants will be offered an interview and can refer themselves or through an agency such as NASS, Social Services or other local agencies relevant to our client groups.
We must have a completed risk assessment signed by each applicant to progress with the application. Applicants will need to complete the application form with Aspect Housing’s Support Workers, or from referral agencies. This information will be used by the service user and staff to construct a Support Plan.
How It Works
1) Applicants are required to complete and sign the Supported Accommodation Request Form.
2) Applicants and referring organisations must then inform Aspect Housing Ltd from Monday to Friday between 9.00am to 8.00pm to make an appointment for same week. This helps to us to ensure appointments are given to those with immediate needs.
3) We will then allocate suitable interview slots to individuals or agencies. Applicants who miss their interviews three times will not be interviewed for a further three months following the most recent missed interview. Aspect Housing recognises applicants’ rights to advocacy and will endeavour to access appropriate help services where necessary. Advocacy may include interpretation, translation and representative services which can also be directly provided by Aspect Housing.
Interviewing
The interview is carried out by an experienced Project Manager or Support Worker. The purpose of the interview is to gather and record information from the applicant in order to provide the most suitable support to meet the applicant’s needs.
At the interview stage, the Project Manager will ask for the applicant’s signed permission to contact agencies or individuals who can provide supporting information to let us can carry out a risk assessment in line with our general criteria (outlined below).
General Criteria
1) Individuals must be singles, refugees or single individuals with substance misuse issues and must be aged 18 or over. There is no upper age limit.2) Applicants should have basic everyday living skills. Please note that we do not provide 24 hour staffed housing although we do operate a 24-hour emergency on-call service.3) Where it has been identified that an applicant has support needs around drugs or alcohol, we will expect to see an ongoing commitment displayed by the applicant to address such problems using existing local services, within the context of current legislation.
4) We will only support applicants where there is reasonable evidence that they do not pose an unsupportable risk to themselves or other service users and to our staff of Aspect Housing. This is assessed through the CNAF and Support Planning process.
5) Aspect Housing Ltd will only support applicants where there is reasonable evidence that they do not pose an undue financial risk to the organisation. However, in most cases service users will be dependent on benefits where direct payments will be made. Selection Process
Following the interview, a selection meeting will be held with the service user and their Support Worker (person completing the CNAF) and the Project Manager. In routine circumstances an acceptance offer would be made and a date for a Support Planning meeting would be set. However, where issues are identified that require a Risk Assessment (please refer to Needs Assessment and Support Planning), this will need to be undertaken before making an offer to the service user.
Each applicant will be considered on an individual basis using information from the initial interview and the Floating Support Request Form and that which is received from agencies and individuals that have been named by the applicant.
Applicants will then be selected in line with the general criteria and the level of floating support offered.
Where necessary, the Project Manager will make the final decision on accepting an applicant for floating support.
Where there is a delay in collecting necessary referral information, the applicant will be notified of any delays in writing within five days of the interview.
Allocation Policy & Prioritisation
Although the allocations work on waiting lists from which applicants are offered support, we do ensure every effort is made to maintain updated information on the applicant and minimize the size of the waiting lists. We also keep all applicants fully informed of their position.
Referrals are accepted from NASS, Birmingham Social Services, self-referrals (with supporting information), the City Council Housing Department, other provider agencies locally and nationally (national agencies are subject to the Cross Authority Arrangements within Birmingham and the consent of the Supporting People Team).
Where support needs are similar, the length of time the applicant has been in that situation, and/or minority group representation, if they are under-represented within Aspect Housing Ltd’s provision compared to Aspect Housing Ltd’s targets.
Where there is “competition” for limited places, we will provide for the greatest need first.
When floating support becomes available, previously recorded information relating to clients who are now at the top of the prioritized waiting list is double checked to ensure no change of circumstances have occurred.
Individual cases are discussed within the our support teams with final recommendations being agreed to by the Project Manager.
The final allocation and offer is then made in line with general selection criteria and taking into account the general well-being of the service user.
It should be noted there may be a period of weeks, months or longer after clients have been added to the waiting list, before appropriate vacancy becomes available.
Offer & Appeals Process
Aspect Housing requires a response to an offer within five days. If we do not hear back within five days, the offer will be then be made to the next person on the waiting list.
Applicants may appeal against any decision they deem unfair or are unhappy about.