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Supporting people on probation: toolkit

Posted on 14/09/21 in Housing Matters

Supporting people on probation: toolkit

A toolkit on housing and homelessness law for professionals working with people who have spent time in prison

These resources are for anyone working with offenders or people on probation, including:

  • probation practitioners
  • local authority staff
  • housing advisers
  • debt and benefit advisers

Resources for professionals 

Shelter Legal 

Shelter Legal is an online guide to housing law for professionals. It covers topics such as homeless applications, tenancy issues, benefits, disrepair and eviction. 

Local authority help for homeless offenders covers homeless applications to a local authority, social services duties, and applications to join the housing register.

It includes information on when a homeless application must be accepted and when a person has a priority need due to being vulnerable as a result of being in custody.

Keeping a rented home when the tenant is in prison sets out what a tenant can do to keep their rented home if they are sent to prison.

It covers how a prisoner can keep their status as a tenant, taking in a lodger, benefit issues and what happens if the landlord serves notice. 
  
Public authority duty to refer provides information on when prisons and probation services have a duty to make a referral to a local housing authority where a person is homeless or at risk of homelessness. 

This page covers what referring authorities should look out for, the referral process, and issues that may arise. 
 
Homeless application process provides an overview of the process of making a homeless application to a local authority. 

It covers how a homeless application can be made, local authority duties to homeless people, and challenging decisions.

NHAS Guides

Vulnerability and priority need: advising clients is a guide for professionals supporting single people making a homeless application. 

It provides detailed information on how priority need should be assessed, guidance on supporting people making a homeless application and when a decision can be challenged. 

Resources for people on probation

Shelter Housing Advice

Shelter's housing advice pages for the public have information on homelessness, renting, benefits, repairs and eviction.

The advice is clear, accurate and easy to understand. Pages can be printed and shared by email.

Help if you’re homeless: ex prisoners covers the help available for people who have left or are about to leave prison. 

People on probation who are going to be renting a home can find advice on:

NHAS factsheets for the public

Our easy to read factsheets for the public can be printed and shared. 

They cover topics such as homelessness, costs of renting, repairs, debt and eviction. 

Relevant factsheets for people on probation include:

  • Priority need of former prisoners
  • Applying as homeless flowchart
  • 10 rights of private tenants

You can find all of these and more on our factsheets page.