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When everyone has a home

Housing advice for Northern Ireland

The four homelessness 'tests'

The Housing Executive has a legal responsibility to help homeless people. The amount of help you're entitled to depends on whether you pass 4 homelessness. The tests are

  • are you homeless?
  • are you entitled to help?
  • are you more in need of help than other people?
  • why are you homeless?

Homelessness test

The homelessness test is one of 4 tests you have to pass to be legally homeless. 

The other tests are eligibility, priority need and intentionality.

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Eligible for assistance test

You have to be "eligible" to apply for housing. You may not be able to get help with homelessness if

  • your immigration status means you cannot apply, or
  • you have been involved in certain types of antisocial behaviour. 
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Priority need test

Priority need is one of 4 tests you have to pass to be legally homeless. The Housing Executive has to help you with housing if you pass all 4 tests. 

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Intentionality test

The intentionality test looks at why you are homeless. 

The Housing Executive won't help if you are homeless because of 

  • something you deliberately did, or
  • something you deliberately failed to do.
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After the homelessness tests

The Housing Executive takes around 5 weeks to make a decision on your case. 

They'll send you a letter to let you know their decision. 

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Failed one or more homelessness tests

The Housing Executive doesn’t have to find you housing if you don’t pass all 4 homelessness tests. 

You can challenge a decision that you've failed a test.

You'll need to look at other housing options if you can't pass all 4 homelessness tests.

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