The use of medical evidence in homelessness decision-making
Lead Research Organisation:
University of York
Department Name: York Law School
Abstract
Abstracts are not currently available in GtR for all funded research. This is normally because the abstract was not required at the time of proposal submission, but may be because it included sensitive information such as personal details.
Organisations
Publications
Caroline Margaret Hunter (Author)
(2013)
"You can judge them on how they look..." : homelessness officers, medical evidence and decision-making in England
in European Journal of Homelessness
Cowan D.
(2017)
Reconsidering Mandatory Reconsideration.
in Public Law
Hunter C
(2015)
Legal Compliance in Street-Level Bureaucracy: A Study of UK Housing Officers
in Law & Policy
Hunter C
(2013)
Medical evidence in homelessness cases
in Legal Action
| Description | Under the Housing Act 1996 where a person applies to the local authority as homeless, the authority must investigate the application. The full duty to house an applicant only arises if the applicant falls within one of the priority need categories. For applicants without children the authority must be satisfied that he or she is 'vulnerable'. This often turns on the physical or mental ill-health of the applicant. This study examined how three varied local authorities make decisions on vulnerability where medical evidence is involved. This was explored through interviews and focus groups of staff. A further detailed analysis of 41 cases from across the authorities was undertaken. The project found that early impressions formed by homelessness officers of applicants were important as they fed into the professional intuition of the officer as to the legitimacy of the application. That said, levels of legal consciousness and conscientious were high: officers were very aware of relevant legal cases and the risk of decision being overturned on review or appeal. The aim of getting decisions 'right first time' was thus given primacy. A variety of sources of information was used by officers in decision-making. These included evidence from an applicant's own doctors (particularly GPs), in house and external advice, information from the internet and information relating to benefits. There was not, as expected, a perceived hierarchy of expertise, but rather a search for an objective view of the evidence which was most readily perceived to come from those who were trusted as objective sources. Internal advisors were seen as providing the most reliable information. |
| Exploitation Route | Local authorities might use it as a basis for developing their policies and for training homelessness staff. |
| Sectors | Communities and Social Services/Policy Government Democracy and Justice |
| URL | http://www.york.ac.uk/law/research/projects/#tab-1 |
| Description | The outcomes of the research has been fed back to each of the local authorities involved in it, though a day's no-cost training delivered by Caroline Hunter in each authority that has enabled a range of staff from managers to front-line officers to discuss their practices and also be updated on recent developments in the case law. Caroline Hunter spoke about the research at Homeless Link's Research Forum on March 12. 2013. Following that her slides for the talk and the research summary were posted on their website and sent out to the Forum mailing list. Caroline Hunter was an invited speaker at a Lemos & Crane training event for homelessness practitioners entitled Homelessness Prevention and Support on June 6, 2013. Her presentation included a discussion of the outcomes of the research, and their implications for homelessness organisations. The findings have also been disseminated with recommendations for best practice through practitioner publications. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2012 |
| Sector | Communities and Social Services/Policy,Government, Democracy and Justice |
| Impact Types | Policy & public services |
| Description | "Vulnerability" and the use of medical evidence in homelessness decision-making - FEANTSA talk |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Talk led to questions and discussions, particularly comparisons with other countries. None aware of |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2012 |
| Description | Homelessness practitioner conference (London) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | 60 practitioners from the voluntary and statutory homelessness sectors listened to a presentation which included a discussion of the outcomes of the research, and their implications for homelessness organisations. It sparked questions from the audience. None |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
| Description | Homelessness researchers forum (London) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Sharing and discussion of research results with audience of researchers from voluntary sector homelessness organisations. Umbrella organisation offered to distribute findings from research through mailing list. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |