Council admits failing hundreds of homeless people

Council staff set an arbitrary time limit on people's applications and demanded "far more" information than needed, the ombudsman said

Hundreds of applications made by people who were potentially homeless were dismissed by a council.

Brentwood Borough Council in Essex was accused by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman of "gatekeeping", by restricting access to its homelessness services.

The local authority was found to have closed 216 cases over a six-month period, despite the applications all meeting an initial threshold that meant inquiries should have been made into whether to supply interim accommodation.

Council chief executive Jonathan Stephenson apologised for "failings with the past triage process".

Staff set an arbitrary time limit on people's applications and demanded "far more" information than needed, the ombudsman said.

Councils have a legal duty, if they have reason to believe an applicant might be homeless or is threatened with homelessness, to formally make an assessment.

'Unnecessary barriers'

Brentwood Borough Council was found to have closed about two-thirds of cases - 216 out of 326 - at the earliest stage in the process.

About 30 applications mentioned domestic abuse and others mentioned rough sleeping, while some people made multiple pleas for help, the ombudsman said.

The council made - what the ombudsman described as - a proper decision in just 22 cases.

Brentwood Borough Council was accused of "putting unnecessary barriers in the way"

Ombudsman Amerdeep Somal said the findings suggested the council "has been artificially restricting numbers by putting unnecessary barriers in the way".

She criticised the council for only helping "when they decide the applicant has jumped through all the right hoops".

"This overly rigid approach amounts to gatekeeping - and it is likely the council has been failing in its duties to the people most at risk in the borough," Ms Somal said.

Homelessness has hit record highs in England, with the latest Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government figures showing 123,100 households in temporary accommodation in the three months to the end of June.

It represented a rise of 16.3% on the same period the previous year.

Reacting to the report, Mr Stephenson said a review of the service had taken place.

"We have addressed the issues raised in the report and have actioned the report's recommendations," he added.

"We are committed to offering help, advice and assistance to our vulnerable homeless and those at risk of homelessness, in line with our duty and legislation."