Page 91 - Solving Housing Disputes

assistance a person might be able to access and direct contact details for the
relevant team. Ideally, portal landing pages would feature prominent signposting
to authoritative sources of independent legal advice and information on
homelessness. 257 Confidence and support is key. Best practice in design for
portals should reassure users through easy to read screens, confirmation on
receipt, information on how the application will be dealt with, and in what sort
258
of time period.

259
3.65 Homelessness remains within the scope of legal aid under LASPO and effort
260
should be made to co-locate Digital Support with substantive legal help for
261
people approaching a local authority for homelessness assistance. As
described above, anecdotal evidence suggests that smartphone usage is common
amongst homeless populations and local authorities should ensure homelessness

257 Such as Shelter, Crisis and Advicenow. Preventing Digital Exclusion from Online Justice emphasised
the importance of online justice processes being developed as part of the Reform Programme offering
users signposts to authoritative sources of legal advice and information, JUSTICE note 43 above para
3.45.

258 Apparently minor measures, such as allowing users to see their progress through a digital system at a
glance, foreshadowing the next steps, confirming information has been received by the system and
providing pop-up information, guidance and prompts are all features that are likely to reassure a user,
ibid para 3.19. For example, the Three Rivers District Council homelessness application system gives
users a high degree of control, allowing a user to change language, alter font size, save their work and
return to it later, available through https://www.threerivers.gov.uk/egcl-page/homelessness

259 Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012, Schedule 1 para 34(1).

260 The technical support services accompanying the court and tribunal reform programme. The Inside
HMCTS blog sets out the commitment to provide Assisted Digital technical support services (now called
“Digital Support”) to help people who lack capacity to get online with digital justice processes, available
online at https://insidehmcts.blog.gov.uk/2017/10/12/helping-people-access-our-services-online/ Co-
location of advice with technical assistance was recommended by the Preventing Digital Exclusion
Working Party, para 3.45 (note 43 above). In 2020, HMCTS will be trialling an increasing number of
Digital Support providers co-located with advice provision.

261 Specific approaches might be needed to consider how those who are homeless, or at risk of it, access
services. A good example of a tailored service was a pilot scheme launched in Manchester in October
2017, which enabled homeless people to join libraries and access their digital facilities, a scheme
introduced “due to increased demand for online applications from the Jobcentre, DWP and housing
agencies” with the consequence that many people “ended up facing benefit sanctions, or have missed
bidding on properties due to not being able to access the internet at the appropriate time”, Barlow,
“Manchester City Council and Lifeshare launch library membership scheme for people who are
homeless” (About Manchester, 27 October 2017) available at
https://aboutmanchester.co.uk/manchester-city-council-and-lifeshare-launch-library-membership-
scheme-for-people-who-are-homeless/

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