Inside Out: Housing Offenders
A safe and secure home is fundamental in helping offenders make a positive contribution to society. But often ex offenders and those charged with criminal activity will face many housing difficulties.
Whether your client has been released on bail, held on remand or released after serving a sentence, they may come to you with worries about
- their home being left empty whilst they serve a sentence
- whether their family can afford to stay in the home
- where they will live on their release
They will want advice on such matters as accessing temporary accommodation, the statutory duties of NIHE and housing benefit entitlement. They may also need assistance with keeping their home while in custody.
Housing Rights Service in the Prisons
We have a team of advisers, based within the criminal justice system in Northern Ireland, who help people who have been remanded into custody or are serving sentences in prison.
Our advisers
- help find suitable accommodation for people when they are leaving the criminal justice system and
- provide advice to people who are entering the criminal justice system and are worried about what happens to their homes while they are in custody.
How else can you help house offenders?
It will cover:
- Presenting as homeless prior to release, homeless tests & recent case law
- Accessing temp accommodation including bail addresses & statutory duty to obtain temporary accommodation for difficult to place offenders
- HB / Welfare reform implications including Shared Accommodation Rate
- Retention of accommodation, including use of nominated person & Abandonment procedures Implications for foreign nationals
This seminar will be vital for solicitors or advisers whose clients face prison & require knowledge of how their housing situation will be impacted by their offending behaviour and/or prison sentence.
Printer-friendly version