Prison
Service
Order
ORDER
NUMBER
2350
Housing Needs and
Assessment Document
PSO 2350
Page 1
Contents
Executive Summary
Chapter 1 Introduction
Purpose
Scope
Chapter 2 Detail of Mandatory Actions
Assessment Document
LIDS
Spreadsheet
Chapter 3 Audit Procedures
Audit and Monitoring
Issue No. 229
Issue date 05/05/05
PSO 2350
Page 2
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
The purpose of this order is to implement the Housing Needs Assessment Document that must be
completed for all newly received prisoners in local establishments
DESIRED OUTCOME
To secure improvements in accommodation outcomes on release and therefore contribute to
reducing re-offending and improving public protection.
MANDATORY ACTIONS
RESOURCE IMPLICATIONS
There are some data recording resource implications with this PSO. These will be met through
existing resources.
IMPLEMENTATION DATE:
April 1 2005 or immediate
(signed)
Michael Spurr
Operational Manager
Contact
Further advice is available from The Community Integration Unit:
Clare Pope
Phil Richardson
Siju Anibaba
020 8760 1706
020 8760 1806
020 8760 1803
SECTION 1 INTRODUCTION
Purpose
1.1
To ensure all prisoners have their housing position assessed during induction, a service
wide Housing Needs Assessment Document (Annex 1) will be used in all local prisons to
identify housing issues requiring immediate intervention and to assess the need for future
housing intervention. This will allow induction staff/housing advice workers to assist
prisoners at an early stage of sentence to minimise the risk of loss of accommodation, the
accrual of rent arrears and difficulty in re-opening housing benefit claims.
1.2
The accommodation strategy for offenders under the Reducing Re-offending National
Action Plan recognises the key importance of action during induction (often for remand
prisoners), in preserving, closing down, or transferring existing tenancies. This work will
assist with securing improvements in accommodation outcomes that are sustainable and
can contribute to reducing the risk of re-offending and harm to the public. To ensure that
prisoner accommodation issues are addressed during induction into custody, the Prison
Service will introduce a shadow KPT to measure the numbers of Housing Needs Initial
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Issue date 05/05/05
PSO 2350
Page 3
Assessments completed in all local prisons from April 2005. The instructions contained
within this PSO will assist establishments to meet the KPT targets.
1.3
Remand prisoners, or those serving short sentences, may need help to ensure that their
housing benefits payments continue, and that their tenancies are sustained. Remand
prisoners are able to claim Housing Benefit for 52 weeks, and sentenced prisoners for 13
weeks (the whole period cannot exceed 52 weeks). Where it is known that a prisoner will
be in custody for longer than the period for which benefits can be paid, the tenancy needs
to be closed down, or transferred if appropriate, to avoid the accrual of debt and possible
‘blacklisting’, which will make it more difficult to obtain accommodation in the future.
Prisoners may also require help to close down Housing Benefits claims. Effective work at
induction can contribute significantly towards a positive outcome at the point of release.
Scope
1.4
The instructions detailed in this PSO apply to all Local Prisons and Young Offender
establishments receiving, for the first time, adults and YO’s with the following status







Remands
Trials
Convicted not Sentenced
Sentenced/Detention in a YOI
Foreign Nationals including Detainees and Deportees
Civil Prisoners
Prisoners detained under a Mental Health Act section
SECTION 2 DETAIL OF MANDATORY ELEMENTS
Assessment Document
2.1
The Housing Needs Initial Assessment Document is to be completed as soon as possible
on all new receptions and no later than four working days after initial reception. Any
nominated member of staff or housing advice worker (including prisoner advisers) may
complete the document.
2.2
Prisoners who are deemed medically unfit to engage with initial assessment and induction
procedures must have the document completed at the earliest opportunity once they have
been passed fit for interview. Establishments must keep a record of all prisoners who are
initially unfit for assessment recording the reasons why the assessment didn’t take place
within four days and record the date when the assessment was completed.
2.3
Prisoners who do not speak or understand English will be assessed at the earliest
opportunity when interpreter services are available. Establishments must keep a record of
all prisoners who did not have an assessment completed within four days due to language
difficulties and record the date when the assessment was completed.
2.4
On completion of the document, establishments must put in place procedures for assisting
the prisoner to act immediately, or as soon as necessary, on issues arising from the
assessment, for example, closing and/or initiating Housing Benefit claims and securing the
property. Any actions necessary must be summarised on the document in the space
provided.
2.5
Completed documents are to be retained in an appropriate file specific to the individual
prisoner (case file or F2050 Prisoner Record). An additional copy of the document is to be
retained in a central file for audit purposes.
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Issue date 05/05/05
PSO 2350
2.6
Page 4
Establishments must ensure that completed documents accompany or follow prisoners who
are transferred to other establishments to ensure the receiving establishment is aware of
what has already been done, and where there remain outstanding issues to be addressed.
LIDS
2.7
Establishments must ensure that the prisoners address details are entered onto LIDS.
Address details must include the town, village or metropolitan borough if known. For
prisoners who declare themselves No Fixed Abode (NFA), the committing court must
be entered as the proxy address. All address details must be entered onto LIDS as soon
as possible after reception.
Spreadsheet
2.8
Establishments will complete a spreadsheet with supplementary information and submit it
to the Community Integration Unit on a monthly basis. This will be used to assess the level
of compliance with the shadow Key Performance Target on initial accommodation work,
which will be introduced in April 2005.
2.9
The spreadsheet will require entries in the following fields:

The number of prisoners declaring NFA on reception

The number of initial assessments completed within the target time of four days

The number of Prolific or other Priority Offenders

Catch-up data on assessments completed outside four days


The numbers of prisoners received from each Local Authority area- in England and
Wales
2.10
The Community Integration Unit will collate all data from establishment spreadsheets, onto
a master spreadsheet and update PSIMON with the data for KPT recording purposes.
2.11
The spreadsheet and associated guidance for completion will be forwarded
separately to Heads of Resettlement at establishments. Custody to Work
Coordinators will train and advise establishments on the completion of the
spreadsheet prior to implementation.
SECTION 3 AUDIT PROCEDURES
Audit and Monitoring
3.1
Establishments will adhere to all mandatory instructions within this PSO. The
process will be monitored by the C2W co-ordinators and will form part of the
Standards Audit procedure.
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PSO 2350
Page 5
ANNEX 1
Refer For Full Assessment?
Yes
No
Prisoner Refused
To Engage
Date………………………….
Housing Needs Initial
Assessment Document
Establishment………………………………………
Date…………………………………………….
Prisoners Name……………………………………
Prison No…………………….………………..
Status…………(RX/Sent.)
Ethnic Code…………………………………...
EDR…………..
Next Court Date (If Known)……………….……..
D.O.B…………………………………………..
Date of 1st Reception……………………………..
Area of Residence……………………………
What accommodation did the prisoner have prior to custody? – Tick below
Type of Accommodation:
Residing with:
Rented
Temp
Family
Other
Owned
Traveller
Friend
Alone
Supported
Hostel
Partner
Spouse
NFA
Hotel Name
Is the Prisoner a Prolific or Other Priority
Offender ?
Yes
No
Yes
No
Does the prisoner have a discharge address?
Who is responsible for paying rent/mortgage?
Does the property or contents require securing?
You Parents Partner Friend Spouse Other
Is the prisoner claiming Housing Benefit?
Additional Information
………………………………………………………………………………………………...
………………………………………………………………………………………………...
………………………………………………………………………………………………...
………………………………………………………………………………………………...
………………………………………………………………………………………………...
Immediate/Proposed Action Required
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Prisoners Signature
Staff Signature
Issue No. 229
…………………………………..
………………………………..
Date ………………………………………….
Print
…………………………………..
Issue date 05/05/05