Applying For Accommodation

Please carefully read the below information before you begin your application.

We consider every application on its own merits, from anyone in any part of the community. We do not turn people away because of their race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability, age, pregnancy or whether they are in work. Our office has wheelchair access, and we can arrange interpreters and support with the application where they are needed.

Who we house

We provide supported accommodation for single adults aged 18 and over who are homeless or at risk of homelessness and need support to live independently. There is no upper age limit. The people we house include those leaving hospital or prison, refugees, people affected by domestic abuse, people with drug or alcohol problems, people with mental or physical health needs, people recovering from relationship or family breakdown, and people who need help to build the skills to manage a home.

Our accommodation is single rooms in shared houses across Birmingham. Support is provided by a named Support Worker who visits every week, with an emergency number available outside office hours. We do not provide 24-hour staffed accommodation, nursing care or personal care, so applicants need to be able to manage day-to-day living with that level of support.

How to apply

1.    Complete the application form, yourself or through an agency that is supporting you, such as the council, probation, a hospital, social care or a support organisation.

2.    We will contact you to arrange an interview within 5 working days, or the same week if your situation is urgent. Interviews can be in person or by phone.

3.    At the interview we will explain what we offer, what we expect, and the weekly service charge. We will ask for your consent to contact your referrer and any other agencies who can tell us about your needs.

4.    We complete an assessment of your needs and any risks. We use this to decide whether we can house and support you safely, and later to write your support plan with you.

5.    We will give you our decision in writing within 5 working days of your interview. If there is a delay, we will write to tell you why.

If you miss three interviews, we will not offer another for three months, unless your referrer can explain why.

When we cannot offer a place

We only say no for one of these reasons, and we always tell you the reason in writing and suggest where else you might try:

•     The accommodation is not suitable for your needs. For example, you need 24-hour care, nursing or personal care, which we do not provide; or you have a baby or children, because our rooms are single rooms in shared houses.

•     You are under 18.

•     The risk to other residents in a shared house cannot be managed. People with convictions for sexual offences or arson are not normally accepted for this reason. Any other offending history is considered individually.

•     You would not be able to afford the accommodation. Our accommodation is funded through Housing Benefit for supported accommodation, so you need to be eligible for Housing Benefit to cover the rent, or able to pay the full charge yourself. Being in work is not a reason for refusal.

•     You do not want support. Weekly support is part of living with us.

We cannot accommodate pets or couples on a joint claim, because rooms are single occupancy.

Being offered a room

When we accept you, we match you to a room that suits your needs and that is safe for you and for the people already living there. Where more than one person is waiting for the same room, we house the person in greatest need first. You have 5 working days to accept an offer. On the day you move in, we go through your licence agreement, the service charge, your support agreement and fire safety with you, and your Support Worker begins working with you in the first week.

If you disagree with a decision

You, or your referrer on your behalf, can appeal in writing within 10 working days of our decision letter. A manager who was not involved in the original decision will review it and reply in writing within 10 working days. If you are unhappy with how you were treated, you can also use our Complaints Policy.

Contact

Referrals: referral@aspecthousing.org.uk  |  Phone: 0121 792 5342, Monday to Friday, 9am to 8pm  |  171 Alcester Road, Birmingham B13 8JR