The Eastern Homelessness Conference 2015 Friday 6 March 2015 Cambridge City Hotel, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3DT A must-attend conference for all local authority homelessness and allocations professionals. This conference will give delegates: A B C D E F n insight into recent homelessness trends, recent guidance on domestic abuse and possible impact on localism post the general election est advice on how to investigate key areas such as eligibility, priority need and intentionality onfidence in making legally sound suitability decisions having regard to the latest developments in legislation and case law etails on how the private rented sector can work for you from the leading expert in this area xpert advice on how to write ‘appeal proof’ S202 reviews of homeless and suitability decisions ree decision letter templates, including not homeless, not eligible, not in priority need, intentionally homeless, no local connection and suitability Speakers ►►JOHN BENTHAM, Head of Homelessness Legislation at DCLG ►►TOBY VANHEGAN, Barrister at Arden Chambers ►►ANDY GALE, Housing Consultant ►►MINOS PERDIOS, Reviews Manager at Housing Reviews Who should attend? ►►Homelessness Officers and Managers ►►Reviews Officers ►►Housing Advice Teams ►►Housing Policy Officers and Managers ►►In-House Solicitors ►►Letting/Allocations Officers and Managers ►►Housing Association staff responsible for making homelessness and suitability decisions www.housingreviews.co.uk The Eastern Homelessness Conference 2015 WE fully recognise the challenges faced by those making S184 and S202 decisions, defending S204 appeals and giving out advice in relation to homelessness and suitability of accommodation. WE understand that officers and managers want less theory and more practical advice on how best to fulfil their responsibilities. THIS conference has been designed to offer practical advice and solutions in the areas of homelessness decision making and using the private rented sector to prevent homelessness or to discharge your duty. THIS conference will also give you an update on the latest legislation, case law, guidance and homelessness trends. It will give you specific guidance on how to best use these to provide a very effective service to your clients. BY attending this conference you will learn from the very best national experts in the areas of homelessness and allocations. JOHN BENTHAM, Head of Homelessness Legislation at DCLG John is Head of Homelessness Legislation at the Department for Communities and Local Government. John has led on youth homelessness policy as well as domestic violence policy and now works on homelessness strategy and is responsible for the homelessness legislation. TOBY VANHEGAN, Barrister at Arden Chambers Toby is described by the Chambers and Partners Directory as “a thorn in the side of local authorities” and demonstrates experience in homelessness, immigration and asylum, and EU free movement law in the context of the housing sector. Toby is co-author of ‘Homelessness and Allocations’ - a defintive guide to the law on allocations and homelessness and part of Arden Chambers, a “lean, mean fighting machine,” whose barristers regularly act on the most important cases. ANDY GALE, Housing Consultant Andy is one of the best known names in the field of homelessness and lettings. He trains and advises local authorities around the country. He has a wide range of local government experience having worked as Housing Needs Manager for Harrow Council and with the DCLG. He has also become an expert advisor on how to use the private rented sector to prevent homelessness or to discharge. MINOS PERDIOS, Reviews Manager at Housing Reviews Minos has personally carried out over 4,500 S202 reviews on behalf of local authorities and his work has been commended in both the County Court and Court of Appeal. He also provides one of the most well received training for homelessness officers who find his training not only ‘very practical’ but also ‘entertaining’. Minos has also carried out audits of local authority homelessness services and knows what makes an outstanding homeless service. Conference Programme 09.30-10.00 Registration and Refreshment 13.00-14.00 Hot and Cold Luncheon 10.00-10.10 Opening Address Minos Perdios 14.00-14.50 Suitability of Accommodation: A Case Law and Legislation Update Toby Vanhegan 10.10-10.50 Homelessness in England: A Policy Update John Bentham ►► The context - recent homelessness trends ►► New guidance on domestic abuse and homelessness ►► The ‘Vulnerability’ assessment ►► Localism - what next? 10.50-11.40 Eligibility: A practical guide Minos Perdios ►► Analysing the type of person in front of you -- Persons subject to immigration control -- ’Zambrano’ carers -- EU Nationals -- Croatian Nationals -- British Citizens 11.40-11.55 Refreshments 11.55-12.45 Priority Need & Intentionality: Case Law Update Toby Vanhegan ►► Consequences of the decision of the Supreme Court in Johnson, Hotak and Kanu (Vulnerability) ►► How much account do we take of support available to the applicant? ►► What minimum enquiries are required? ►► Assessing ‘last settled accommodation’ ►► Assessing affordability in intentionally homeless cases ►► What are the defences to intentionally homeless cases, e.g. good faith, ignorance of fact? 12.45-13.00 Questions and Answers Session Panel ►► Suitability of Accommodation (England) Order 2012 ►► Location, Location, Location ►► Meeting the challenges of the benefit cap 14.50-15.40 Private Sector Prevention/Discharge Overcoming the Obstacles Andy Gale ►► What’s been happening on the ground? ►► The evidence to date ►► Overcoming the obstacles including: -- Extending applicant choice through Prevention or Private Sector Discharge -- Being Ombudsman compliant (Prevention) -- Making lawful and suitable offers (PSD) -- Converting the same property from full duty to Private Sector Discharge 15.40-15.50 Refreshments 15.50-16.40 S202 Reviews: Making ‘Appeal Proof’ decisions Minos Perdios ►► ►► ►► ►► ►► The need for good S184 decisions The Review Regulations 1999 Most common reasons for S204 appeals What guidance has been given to county courts Advice on how to construct legally sound s202 decisions ►► Review Officers and quality control ►► What to do with cases where no decision can be made? 16.40-17.00 Questions and Answers Session Panel 17.00 Close of Conference The Eastern Homelessness Conference 2015 Friday 6 March 2015 Cambridge City Hotel, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3DT BOOKING FORM DELEGATE FEE (Fees include refreshments and Lunch) ̈́̈́STANDARD RATE: £195 + VAT (TOTAL: £234) ̈́̈́EARLY BIRD OFFER (BOOKINGS RECEIVED BY 6 FEBRUARY 2015): £175 + VAT (TOTAL £210) ̈́̈́THIRD AND SUBSEQUENT DELEGATE RATE (THIRD AND SUBSEQUENT DELEGATES FROM THE SAME ORGANISATION BOOKING AT THE SAME TIME AS TWO STANDARD RATE DELEGATES WILL RECEIVE 50% DISCOUNT ON THE STANDARD RATE): £97.50 + VAT (TOTAL: £117) I WOULD LIKE TO BOOK A PLACE ON THE EASTERN HOMELESSNESS CONFERENCE 2015 Please complete clearly in block capitals, using a separate form for each delegate. Title _______ First Name __________________________ Surname _______________________________ Job Title _________________________________________________________________________________ Organisation _____________________________________________________________________________ Address _________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________ Post Code _______________________________ Telephone ______________________________ Email ___________________________________________ Special dietary requirements e.g. vegetarian _______________________________________________ Other needs e.g. access requirements _____________________________________________________ PAYMENT DETAILS ̈́̈́Please invoice me (only for local authorities/public sector) ̈́̈́I enclose a cheque (made payable to Housing Reviews Limited) ̈́̈́Please charge my credit/debit card Card Number _______________________________ Cardholder’s Name __________________________ Start Date __________ Expiry Date __________ Security Code (last 3 digits on back of card) ________ Please return your completed booking form to: Housing Reviews Limited, First Floor, 17-19 Main Street, Garforth, Leeds LS25 1DS Telephone: 0113 816 0210 Fax: 0113 816 0211 Email: [email protected] Cancellation policy and fees: A refund of fees will be made only for cancellations received in writing at least ten working days before the event (less a £50 administration charge). Should you cancel less than 10 working days before the event, no refund is payable. However, a substitute delegate will be accepted at any time before the event. This programme is correct at time of going to press. However, we reserve the right to alter or cancel the programme if necessity demands. I agree to the cancellation policy and fees. Signature ______________________________________________________ Date _____________________