Temporary accommodation

We may be able to secure you temporary accommodation if:

  • you have a 'priority need' for housing

  • you need somewhere to stay straight away 

Read our guide about temporary accommodation

About temporary accommodation

If required, temporary accommodation will be found for you and your household. This may not be in our borough,if there is a lack of suitable accommodation. We may move you to a different temporary accommodation so you have somewhere a bit more settled to stay in the meantime. This may include neighbouring local authorities, before considering the rest of Kent. 

Temporary accommodation must provide suitable room and standard for you and your household. The size of this may be one bedroom less than what would be suitable on a permanent basis, with the expectation, the living rooms provide dual purpose as a living and sleeping area.

You may not be able to take all your furniture to your temporary accommodation. So you'll need to arrange for this to go into storage. 

Health Factors

The Council will consider health factors such as an ability to manage stairs, the care and support provided by other statutory agencies or the need to access any specialist medical services that are only available in Gravesham. If the applicant or a member of the resident household is citing medical grounds that which not identified during the initial assessment, the applicant will be asked to submit medical information within a reasonable period. The key test in determining the impact of medical issues is whether the condition itself makes the housing offered unsuitable. Problems such as depression, asthma, diabetes or back pain would not normally make a property unsuitable, as the problems would persist in any type of accommodation. Where it is practical to do so, prior to being placed in temporary accommodation, homeless households will be asked to complete a vulnerability and suitability assessment form. This form will allow officers to assess suitability of any accommodation provided.

Education

Attendance at local schools will be considered however will not ordinarily be considered a reason to refuse accommodation.  Priority will be given to special educational needs and students who are close to taking public examinations in determining priority for placements in the borough. Gravesham Borough Council will seek to ensure all placements are within 45 minutes travelling distance each way of any primary schools attended.  For secondary school children the length of journey should be no more than 75 minutes each way. This is in line with Kent County Council’s guidance as to what is considered reasonable for a child to travel to school. The Council should also make reasonable efforts to ensure arrangements are put in place to minimise the disruptions to the education of children and young people, particularly (but not solely) at critical points such as leading up to taking GCSE or equivalent examinations.

Employment

The Council will consider the need of applicants, who are in paid employment, to reach their normal workplace from the accommodation that is secured. The Council should also make reasonable efforts to ensure any disruption to caring responsibilities that may be impacted by any disruption to employment is kept to a minimum

Proximity to services

The Council will consider the proximity to public transport, primary care services and local services in the area in which the accommodation is located.

Safeguarding

The need to safeguard and promote the welfare of any children in the household – if not already identified the council will seek to identify any particular needs of the children in the household.  It will have regard to the need to safeguard and promote the welfare in making decisions on whether the offer is suitable, although it has to be remembered that almost all families seeking temporary accommodation are families with children.  

Any special circumstances

The Council will consider any other reasons put forward by the applicant and come to an overall view whether the offer is suitable.

Temporary accommodation cost

You’ll have to pay for the temporary accommodation, even if you’re not working. It is reasonable for the council to raise a charge equivalent to the relevant local housing allowance rate on all private sector nightly paid temporary accommodation.