I am homeless now, or will lose my home in less than two months
We can offer to carry out a homeless assessment at your request We have a legal duty to assess you in line with guidance set out in the Scottish government's homelessness legislation.
However, we will make every effort to prevent you from becoming homeless, provided it is safe for you to stay.
We will aslo review your housing options, or if you are at risk of losing your current accommodation, we will try to assist you in sustaining it, when we can.
Our Out of Hours emergency number is 0800 169 1611. In a non-emergency call 01620 827536 and ask for the Duty Officer.
For more details, see our section on Helping you stay in your home.
You can read about each of the legal tests by clicking on the links below:
- eligibility
- the meaning of 'homelessness' or 'threatened with homelessness'
- What does 'intentionality' mean?
- Do you have a local connection?
Further advice for applicants
We will provide full advice on the assessment process, along with advice on how we might prevent homelessness. We will also confirm what action we will take and the likely timescales.
The homelessness legislation can be quite complex, so it is important that you do not decide for yourself what the outcome will be, and take action which could worsen your position. As long as it is physically safe for you to remain you should not take any action to terminate or leave your current accommodation without firstly contacting your case officer.
If you are assessed as meeting all the criteria:
We have a full re-housing responsibility towards you. This means that we will arrange a settled tenancy for you. Your case officer will advise you of how this duty will be met.
You will be advised of all of the housing options you have, and assisted to access these options. Given the long waiting times for council housing (especially for single people), other housing tenures such as Housing Association tenancies may be more appropriate to your needs and reduce your waiting time for re-housing.
In the meantime, if you lose your home, we may need to place you in Temporary Accommodation.
If you do not meet all the criteria:
If you are found to be homeless or threatened with homelessness but you are found to be intentionally homeless or not to have a local connection with East Lothian, we will still have obligations towards you, including the provision of advice and assistance. Your Case Officer will advise you about this.