HL1 user information

Variable name: ASSESS

Description

Statutory assessment decision as recorded by the homelessness officer.

Format

Numeric, one digit.

Validation

• mandatory after assessment
• values 3 and 6 are not applicable for cases assessed on or after 31 December 2012. This will generate an error on the Scottish Government HL1 upload system
• must be 12 if answer to 10b.1. is 4

Guidance

Labels were updated and options 3 and 6 removed following the implementation of the Homelessness (Abolition of Priority Need) (Scotland) Order 2012.

Chapter 6 of the Code of Guidance for homelessness (paragraph 6.3) states that while most applicants are unintentionally homeless, local authorities have the discretionary power to consider, if they think fit, the intentionality criteria to distinguish between the case of a person who has become homeless through no fault of their own, and the case of a person, who through deliberate action or inaction, has contributed to their homelessness. See code of guidance for further information.

If the applicant’s homelessness was resolved prior to an assessment decision being made – and hence they withdrew their application, record as 9 “Homelessness resolved prior to assessment decision”. This option should also be used in cases where it is known the applicant has died prior to the assessment decision.

If the applicant withdrew their application prior to an assessment being reached but it is not known if they have resolved their homelessness, record as 11 “Withdrew application before assessment decision”. 

If the local authority lost contact with the applicant before an assessment decision could be made, record as 10.  In this case the date of assessment must be at least 28 days after the date contact was last made with the applicant – since this is the accepted minimum period which must be allowed for applicants to make contact again before their case is written off. (As the HL1 does not record the date of last contact, the validation on data received by the Scottish Government is a minimum of 28 days after the date of application. Some systems may be able to make more accurate validation checks.)

Option 12 should be used if the applicant was ineligible for assistance. See question 10b for guidance on eligibility.

Was ‘Household likely to become homeless within 2 months (pre- 1 April 2007)’

Variable name: ASSDATE

Description

The date the decision was actually made - regardless of when the applicant was informed of the decision.

Format

Numeric, eight digits.

Coded in the form DDMMYYYY, where DD is the day, MM is the number of the month and YYYY is the four-digit year (eg. 2007).

Validation

• mandatory
• must be a valid date
• must not be in the future
• must not be earlier than the date of application (question 2)
• must be at least 28 days after the date of application if the answer to question 17 is 10

Guidance

If a review changes the original decision, the date should be the date the results of the review are made known. If a review does not change the original decision, the date should be the date of the original decision.

Variable name: APPEAL

Description

Record if the assessment decision was reached after an appeal.

Format

Numeric, one digit.

Validation

• This should be answered if, and only if, the answer to question 17 is 1,2,4,5 or 7

Guidance

Chapter 10 of the Code of Guidance on Homelessness states that local authorities must notify the applicant that there is a right to review of the decision, and the following paragraphs explain the procedure for this.

If a review changes the assessment decision, an amendment should be made to the relevant questions in this section and an updated case submitted. If an appeal takes place at all (whether or not the assessment decision is changed as result of the appeal) the answer to this question should be yes. This question must be answered for all cases where the assessment decision is 1-7 (i.e., the applicant has been assessed as being either homeless or threatened with homelessness or neither).

Where applicants have appealed against a decision of being ineligible for assistance (see question 10b), this falls outside the scope of the legislation, and should not be recorded here as a decision being reached on review.

Was ‘Category of Priority Need (pre- 1 April 2007)’

Variable name format: PNCATX

Description

Category as determined by the homelessness officer.

20 variables: each record whether the specific reason was relevant.

Format

Numeric, one digit each.

Validation

• all mandatory
• 20a.1 can only be 1 if children were recorded in question 6. Any children found to be in the household after the application date should be entered in Q6. Likewise, Q6 should be updated when households are found not to contain children who had originally been entered at Q6.
• 20a.2 and 20a.14 can only be 1 if the number of female adults recorded at question 5 is at least 1 or the number of female children aged 12 or above recorded at question 6 is at least 1
• 20a.3 can only be 1 if the number of adults aged 25 to retirement age or retirement age and above recorded at question 5 is at least 1
• 20a.9 can only be 1 if the number of adults aged 16-17 at question 5 is at least 1
• 20a.8 and 20a.10 can only be 1 if the number of adults aged 16-17 or 18-24 at question 5 is at least 1
• if the assessment decision recorded at question 17 is 1, 2, 4 or 5, then at least one of 20a.1 to 20a.18 must be 1
• if the assessment decision recorded at question 17 is 7, then 20a.1 to 20a.18 and 20a.20 must all be 0, and 20a.19 must be 1
• if the assessment decision recorded at question 17 is 9, 10, 11 or 12, then 20a.1 to 20a.19 must all be 0, and 20a.20 must be 1

Guidance

All categories that apply should be recorded. Noting that a priority need is no longer required for a household to be assessed as homeless.

Dependent children need not be the children of the applicant to require the household to be placed in priority need (20a.1), nor do they need to reside with the applicant all the time, where parents have joint or shared custody, nor do they need to be living with the applicant at the time of the applicant’s request for assistance.

20a.3 to 7, 14, 15 and 17 cover reasons for which members of the applicant household may be vulnerable. These “vulnerability” categories are not defined in legislation, so local authorities should avoid blanket policies, and instead focus on individual circumstances. Former asylum seekers may be vulnerable for “other special reasons” (20a.17). Similarly, applicants who may be vulnerable for reasons similar to those of applicants falling into 20a.8 or 10, but are aged 21 or above would be recorded under 20a.17.

20a.18 should be recorded as 1 where the applicant has been assessed as in priority need, but none of the categories described are applicable. Note that alcohol or drug dependency in itself does not constitute a requirement for a priority need. However, the dependency may need to be addressed as part of a package of support.

If an applicant is assessed as in priority need, at least one of 20a.1 to 18 must be selected. 20a.19 is for those found not to be in priority need. If the applicant has been assessed to be neither homeless nor potentially homeless, the response to 20a.19 should be 1.

Variable name format: SPTNDSX

Description

Reason support may need to be provided, as recorded by the homelessness officer. 6 variables: each record whether the specific reason was relevant.

Format

Numeric, one digit each.

Validation

• all mandatory
• if 20a.4 is 1 then 20b.1 must be 1
• if 20a.5 is 1 then 20b.2 must be 1
• if 20a.6 is 1 then 20b.3 must be 1
• if 20a.7 is 1 then 20b.4 must be 1

Guidance

This question is to be answered according to the judgement of the homelessness officer. It is recognised that, at this stage of the application, a full support needs assessment will not necessarily have been completed.

Option 6 may involve, for example needs to learn about the management of household finances or other aspects of living independently. It is likely to apply to many people who have not had a home of their own before or for several years, as well as to others who have had difficulty maintaining a tenancy.

Comparisons can be made between the applicant’s own assessment of why their previous tenancy was not maintained (question 16b), and the judgement of the homelessness officer as to what needs to be addressed to maintain a future tenancy. This question also provides information on the type and level of service required to provide a sustainable solution to their accommodation needs.

20c.1. Local connection for reason of residency

Variable name: LCRES

Description

Whether any member of the household has resided within the local authority receiving the application for at least 6 months of the previous year, or 3 years of the previous 5.

Format

Numeric, one digit each.

Validation

• mandatory

20c.2. Local connection for reason of current employment

Variable name: LCEMP

Description

Whether any member of the household is currently employed within the local authority receiving the application.

Format

Numeric, one digit each.

Validation

• mandatory

20c.3. Local connection for reason of family associations

Variable name: LCFAM

Description

Whether any member of the household has family who have lived within the local authority receiving the application for at least 5 years. This excludes family it would not be reasonable for the applicant to live nearby.

Format

Numeric, one digit each.

Validation

• mandatory

20c.4. Local connection for other special reasons

Variable name: LCSPEC

Description

Whether any member of the household has a connection with the local authority for other reasons, such as the need for continuing provision of education or health treatment.

Format

Numeric, one digit each.

Validation

• mandatory

Guidance

From 29 November 2022, local authorities no longer have the power to refer an applicant to another local authority in Scotland on the grounds of their local connection.

However, the power to refer applicants with a local connection to an authority in England and Wales remains, provided they do not have a local connection with the authority receiving the application. Only applicants who are assessed as being unintentionally homeless may be referred to another authority.

Questions 20c and 20d should be answered, regardless of whether the application was before or after 29 November 2022.

These questions are asked of all applicants, irrespective of whether the authority may have a duty to provide permanent accommodation.

Question 20c asks about any local connection the applicant may have with the local authority to which they have applied, and question 20d asks, if there is no local connection with the authority to which they have applied, about any local connection with another local authority in Scotland.

Inquiries into local connection are detailed in Chapter 7 of the Code of Guidance on Homelessness. Note that no local connection is established because of service in the armed forces, because of time in prison or otherwise detained under statute, or for a former asylum seeker having been housed in National Asylum Support Service accommodation.

All reasons for the establishment of a local connection should be recorded. If the applicant chooses not to answer the question, or it is not known whether a connection is established by any of the tests, then “Not known / refused” should be selected.

20d.1. Local connection with another authority for reason of residency

Variable name: LCRESO

Description

Whether any member of the household has resided within another local authority for at least 6 months of the previous year, or 3 years of the previous 5.

Format

Numeric, one digit each.

Validation

• mandatory if there is no local connection within the authority receiving the application – i.e., if the answers to 20c.1 to 4 are all zero

20d.2. Local connection for reason of current employment

Variable name: LCEMPO

Description

Whether any member of the household is currently employed within another local authority.

Format

Numeric, one digit each.

Validation

• mandatory if there is no local connection within the authority receiving the application – i.e., if the answers to 20c.1 to 4 are all zero​​​​​​

20d.3. Local connection for reason of family associations

Variable name: LCFAMO

Description

Whether any member of the household has family who have lived within another local authority for at least 5 years. This excludes family it would not be reasonable for the applicant to live nearby.

Format

Numeric, one digit each.

Validation

• mandatory if there is no local connection within the authority receiving the application – i.e., if the answers to 20c.1 to 4 are all zero

20d.4. Local connection for other special reasons

Variable name: LCSPECO

Description

Whether any member of the household has a connection with another local authority for other reasons, such as the need for continuing provision of education or health treatment.

Format

Numeric, one digit each.

Validation

• mandatory if there is no local connection within the authority receiving the application – i.e., if the answers to 20c.1 to 4 are all zero

Guidance

From 29 November 2022, local authorities no longer have the power to refer an applicant to another local authority in Scotland on the grounds of their local connection.

However, the power to refer applicants with a local connection to an authority in England and Wales remains, provided they do not have a local connection with the authority receiving the application. Only applicants who are assessed as being unintentionally homeless may be referred to another authority.

Questions 20c and 20d should be answered, regardless of whether the application was before or after 29 November 2022.

These questions are asked of all applicants, irrespective of whether the authority may have a duty to provide permanent accommodation.

Question 20c asks about any local connection the applicant may have with the local authority to which they have applied, and question 20d asks, if there is no local connection with the authority to which they have applied, about any local connection with another local authority in Scotland.

Inquiries into local connection are detailed in Chapter 7 of the Code of Guidance on Homelessness. Note that no local connection is established because of service in the armed forces, because of time in prison or otherwise detained under statute, or for a former asylum seeker having been housed in National Asylum Support Service accommodation.

All reasons for the establishment of a local connection should be recorded. If the applicant chooses not to answer the question, or it is not known whether a connection is established by any of the tests, then “Not known / refused” should be selected.