Emergency housing supplier standards

The emergency housing supplier standards set out expectations emergency housing suppliers need to meet to provide safe and suitable accommodation, and fair service.

Emergency housing suppliers can request to opt-in to the emergency housing supplier standards.

MSD will assign the supplier of the emergency housing a status of either:

• opted-in or
• not opted-in

The emergency housing supplier will be assigned the opted-in status, when they make a request to opt-in to the standards, and MSD has determined they meet the standards.

The emergency housing supplier will be assigned the not opted-in status if they decide not to opt-in to the standards, or MSD has determined the supplier does not meet the standards.

An Emergency Housing Grant can only be paid to a supplier that is opted-in to the standards unless an exception applies. An exception is a reason MSD can pay an Emergency Housing Grant to a supplier who has not opted-in.

MSD needs to consider the supplier status before paying an Emergency Housing Grant. 

MSD can only grant an Emergency Housing Grant to a not opted-in supplier when one of the following reasons apply:

• there are no opted-in suppliers available that are adequate for the needs of the client, their partner and dependent children (if any) or
• the not opted-in supplier is the most appropriate option or
• there are exceptional circumstances

Exceptional circumstances should only be considered when the other 2 reasons do not apply.

If none of these exceptions apply, the Emergency Housing Grant must be declined.

Note MSD still needs to consider if the emergency housing is adequate and a reasonable cost before paying an Emergency Housing Grant.

When there are children in the household, MSD can only decline a grant for a not opted-in supplier if:

• MSD has identified an available opted-in supplier that is a reasonable cost and is adequate for their needs and
• the client refuses to access this

This is to reduce the risk to the welfare of children in the household by ensuring there is emergency housing they can access.