The Armed Forces Covenant (AFC) Covers a Number of Key Areas
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Richmondshire District Council’s Response to Meeting the Principles of The Armed Forces Covenant (2018-20) The Armed Forces Covenant (AFC) covers a number of key areas. Those relating to services provided by Richmondshire District Council (RDC) are listed below, outlining its responsibilities together with statistical information for the last three years. AFC’s Principles AFC RDC’s RDC’s response RDC’s response RDC’s response Guidance Statements Responsibilities 2016/17 2017/18 2018-2020 1. HOUSING 1.1 Members of the The North Yorkshire In 2016/2017 In 2017/2018 In 2018-2020 Armed Forces should Home Choice Richmondshire Richmondshire Richmondshire have the same access Allocations Policy District Council District Council District Council to social housing and automatically considers rehoused, into rehoused, into rehoused, into other housing schemes members of the Armed Social Housing, 5 Social Housing, 5 Social Housing, 15 as any other citizen. Forces to have a Local applicants (4% of applicants (5% of applicants (5% of Connection to the area. our total our total allocation our total allocation This is extended to allocation for the for the year) who for the two year applications from former year) who were were either recently period) who were service personnel, either recently discharged / had either recently where the application is discharged / had historically served in discharged / has made within 5 years historically served the Armed Forces or historically served in following discharge. in the Armed who were the the Armed Forces or Members of the Armed Forces or who spouse of a currently who were the Forces have the same were the spouse serving or former spouse of a currently access to Social of a currently member of the serving or former Housing as any other serving or former Armed Forces. member of the citizen. member of the Armed Forces. Armed Forces. 1. HOUSING 1.2 Some local North Yorkshire Home Out of the 11 Only 6 presentations During this period authorities offer Choice offers additional homeless in 17/18. 3 were there were 57 additional priority for preference to members applications accepted and re- presentations from social housing to those of the Armed Forces made to the housed into military personnel / who have recently left who have an urgent Housing Options permanent families of MOD or are soon due to housing need (as per service, 9 were accommodation. 19 personnel seeking leave the service. Appendix 16 of the accepted and re- applicants were advice / assistance Allocations Policy). housed in to given ‘gold band - At with housing. Page 1 – Version 1 (2018-20) Additional preference is permanent Risk’ status on the The majority of these deemed to be that their accommodation. housing register and relate those priority band date will be 17 applicants their homelessness receiving their 93 backdated by 6 months. were given gold was prevented. day notice to leave Members of the Armed band ‘at risk’ military Forces who are ‘at risk’ status on the CBL Housing Options accommodation. of homelessness and register. team is building These are have received their 93 good relations with automatically day Notice to Vacate Catterick Garrison accepted under the their accommodation and is much more duty to prevent will have their banding effectively homelessness even increased in accordance preventing though this falls with their priority status homelessness as outside the 56 day in order to give them these figures reflect. statutory limit. every opportunity to resolve their housing By working with such situation in advance of clients over a 93 day their potentially period many cases homeless date. Every do not result in a applicant will also have homeless situation the opportunity to speak arising. 30 of the 57 to a Housing Options were assisted into advisor to discuss all housing. The available affordable remainder are likely housing solutions. to have resolved their situation without further involvement other than advice being given. 1. HOUSING 1.3 Government The English Churches is Of the 5 referrals Riverside Care and Single Persons departments and a charity which provides to The Beacon’s Support (ECHG) Accommodation voluntary/community supported Supported have expanded their Scheme for Ex- sectors will provide accommodation at The Accommodation supported housing Services Personnel Beacon in Catterick facility and we can Page 2 – Version 1 (2018-20) supported housing for Garrison for homeless scheme, 3 clients now refer via the (SPACES) continues homeless veterans. veterans. were re-housed. Single Persons to be accessed. Amicus Trust is a Accommodation charity that provides Scheme for Ex- In addition to this the supported Services Personnel Beacon Project can accommodation in (SPACES) into any offer supported Bedford which RDC can facility in Catterick accommodation . refer homeless veterans Garrison, into. Middlesbrough, Charities that we Homeless veterans Aldershot. work with include aged between 16-25 SPACES also have SSAFA and Royal years can also access access to other British Legion. the Young People’s various Pathway and be accommodation We provide links to considered for providers, such as, other sources of accommodation within SHADE (St Peter’s advice such as the the two supported Court, Sacriston, Veterans Gateway housing schemes within Durham), Scottish Link. Richmond although this Veterans is not specifically for ex- Residences, veterans. (Edinburgh, Phoenix House is a Glasgow and rehabilitation Centre Dundee) based at Catterick Launchpad, Garrison. (Avondale House in Biker, Newcastle), Speke House (Liverpool) Amicus Trust (Bedford), Alabare (South West England and Wales. 1. HOUSING 1.4 Serving personnel Serving Personnel have The North The North Yorkshire The North Yorkshire should have priority the same priority status Yorkshire Home Home Choice Home Choice status in applying for as any other citizen. Choice Page 3 – Version 1 (2018-20) Government sponsored When a member of the Allocations Policy Allocations Policy / Allocations Policy / affordable housing armed forces receives / RDC Policy. RDC Policy. RDC Policy. schemes, and service confirmation of their leavers should retain discharge, they may this status for a period receive additional of 12 months after priority in line with discharge. homeless legislation and the North Yorkshire This ‘priority status’ can Home Choice transfer to their Allocations Policy. They bereaved spouse/civil would retain this priority partner. status until they have been suitably re- housed. A bereaved spouse / civil partner would receive additional preference in line with the North Yorkshire Home Choice Allocations Policy until they were suitably re- housed. 1. HOUSING 1.5 Those injured in Injured Service men and The North The North Yorkshire The North Yorkshire service should have women who are being Yorkshire Home Home Choice Home Choice preferential access to discharged from the Choice Allocations Policy / Allocations Policy / appropriate housing Armed Forces due to Allocations Policy RDC Policy. RDC Policy. schemes. their injuries would / RDC Policy. receive additional preference, in line with the North Yorkshire Home Choice Allocations Policy, until they were suitably re- housed. This additional Page 4 – Version 1 (2018-20) preference means that their priority band date would be backdated by an additional 6 months. 1. HOUSING 1.6 Those injured in Service personnel have No applications No applications 2 x DFG awarded to service should have the same rights to received. received. ex-service personnel assistance with access Disabled necessary adaptations Facilities Grants (DFG) to private housing. as civilians. 1. HOUSING 1.7 Injured service A Disabled Facilities No applications No applications Not applicable to personnel’s lump sum Grant (DFG) is a received. received. any DFG compensation is statutory means tested applications disregarded for the local council grant to received. 1 x DFG purposes of capital help towards the cost of awarded to ex- means test for adapting a person’s service personnel affordable housing home to enable them to but in receipt of a schemes, and Disabled continue to live there. passporting benefit Facilities Grant. When an individual therefore no means- applies for DFG their test applied. 1 x Armed Forces DFG awarded to ex- Compensation Scheme service personnel (AFCS) or War Pension but no means-test Scheme (WPS) as work below compensation threshold for payment(s) is not taken financial into account in the assessment. 1 x means test. DFG withdrawn by This commitment ex-service personnel applies to those in as moving out of the receipt of WPS for area. disablement of 80 per cent or higher and receiving a Constant Attendance Allowance. It also applies to those Page 5 – Version 1 (2018-20) who receive an AFCS lump sum payment and guaranteed income payment. 2. BENEFITS AND 2.1 Those service To ensure that the During 2016/17, During 2017/18, 5 During 2018/19 & TAX personnel who own or Council captures the approximately 10 accounts were 2019/20 there were rent private correct information to accounts were subject to this 5 accounts where accommodation are allow the 50% MOD job subject to the discount. this discount applied responsible for paying related discount to be discount. Council Tax direct to applied. the appropriate Local Authority. For these service personnel, a 10-50% council tax discount may be claimed from their Local Authority where their main job-related dwelling is provided by the MoD anywhere in Great Britain. 2. BENEFITS AND 2.2 Payment from the The Council currently During 2016/17 During 2017/18 25 During 2018/19 17 TAX Armed Forces disregards this income 26 cases cases benefitted cases benefitted Compensation Scheme in its entirety. benefitted from from this scheme, from this scheme or War Pensions this scheme, amounting to a total amounting to a total Scheme is not taken amounting to a of £44,248 (Housing of £31,014 (Housing into account when total of £47,554 Benefit). Benefit). entitlement to income- (Housing related benefits is Benefit).