13 week non-entitlement period for emergency housing

A non-entitlement period of 13 weeks for emergency housing will be issued when a client is unable to receive an Emergency Housing Grant because they have:

• received 2 formal warnings for the same emergency housing event and
• not met their emergency housing responsibilities for the third time and
• did not have good and sufficient reason for not meeting the emergency housing responsibilities agreed to at each grant

The 13 week non-entitlement period for emergency housing begins from the day after the end of the client’s current (or most recent) Emergency Housing Grant.

The 13 week non-entitlement period resets the client’s previous warnings to zero.

If the client applies for an Emergency Housing Grant after their non entitlement period has ended, and it is the same emergency housing event, the client will be required to meet the responsibilities from their first night back in emergency housing.

Note during the 13 week non-entitlement period for emergency housing, the client will only be able to get an Emergency Housing Grant under limited circumstances.

If a client gets a 13 week non-entitlement period for emergency housing, this does not affect their partner qualifying for an Emergency Housing Grant.

However if a client is on a 13 week non-entitlement period for emergency housing:

• their income and cash assets must still be included when assessing if their partner (as the applicant) qualifies for an Emergency Housing Grant, and when calculating the emergency housing contribution and
• they cannot be included in their partner’s accommodation paid for by an Emergency Housing Grant

Example - Partner 1 applies for Emergency Housing Grant while Partner 2 is on a 13 week non-entitlement period

Terry (partner 1) and Hardin (partner 2) enter emergency housing together as a couple. Hardin applies for the grant and Terry is included as a partner staying in emergency housing on Hardin’s application.

During their stay in emergency housing, Hardin received 2 warnings for not meeting his emergency housing responsibilities and failed to meet them again.

Hardin again did not have a good and sufficient reason for not meeting his responsibilities and is now on a 13 week non-entitlement period for emergency housing.

MSD advises Terry that Hardin cannot be included in Terry’s emergency housing accommodation as he is on a 13 week non-entitlement period for emergency housing.

Terry will be able to access emergency housing as long as Hardin is not included in, or using the accommodation during his non-entitlement period for emergency housing. 

Note Hardin’s income and cash assets must still be included when assessing if Terry’s qualifies for an Emergency Housing Grant and calculating the emergency housing contribution.

A client may qualify for an Emergency Housing Grant during their non-entitlement period for emergency housing under limited circumstances.

The client must still meet all the emergency housing qualifications as well as the limited circumstances criteria to get an Emergency Housing Grant during their non-entitlement period.