How to ask the council for help with homelessness

If you’re under 25, in England and are either already homeless or think you’ll be facing homelessness within the next eight weeks, you’re probably feeling down and anxious.

So, the first thing to know is that you have the right to help from your local council to find somewhere to live. (Even if you’re sofa-surfing or staying at a friend’s place, you’re still considered homeless.)

Asking the council for help is known as making a homeless application, and most people can get help. Don’t let things slide. Contact the council as soon as you think you could become homeless so the council has more time to help.

Next you should know how to go about making an application, what you’re entitled to, and what to expect along the way.

How to find your local council.

To find your local council. enter your postcode here.

Applying to the council

You best course of action is to go in person or phone your local council’s housing department. You’ll need to show the council certain documents so they can deal with your application. These are:

• Proof of your identity. An identification (ID) card, driving licence, birth certificate or passport.
• A tenancy agreement if you have one.
• Evidence that you’re homeless or facing homelessness, such as an eviction notice this is also known as a section 21 notice.

You’ll be interviewed by a housing officer and need to explain why you’re homeless or about to become homeless – for example if your landlord has given you notice to leave. Try to give a full and honest account of why you’re homeless or at risk of being homeless, and why you need the council’s support.

It might be a good idea to write down what you plan to say about your personal situation so you can read from your notes. You can also take a friend, an adult or a support worker with you for support when you speak to the housing officer.

You will get a housing plan to explain how the council might be able to help you. This might include:

• Finding you emergency housing if you’re considered to have a ‘priority need’. This could be a hostel or bed and breakfast.
• Temporary accommodation. This might be a room in a shared private house, or private, council or housing association accommodation, or a hostel or refuge.
• If you are offered emergency or temporary accommodation, you will still have to pay for it, which you may be able to do by claiming housing benefit.
• You might be offered support to find longer-term housing such as a council or housing association home or a private rental.
• They could also offer to help you stay in your current home through an agreement with your private landlord.
• You may be offered a loan for a tenancy deposit, to be paid back over time, or help with your first month’s rent on accommodation.

When will you get a decision from the council?

If the council confirms that you’re homeless, eligible, and in priority need, it must offer you emergency accommodation immediately.

You may still be offered emergency accommodation if they need more time to reach a decision.

A full assessment will take longer, but they have a duty to come back to you within eight weeks.

You might have to wait for a decision on your application for a long time. It could take up to eight weeks.

What to do while you’re waiting to hear.

Keep phoning the housing officer you saw and ask how when a decision will be made.

Because waiting lists for accommodation can be long, you should try to find private accommodation or contact local homeless charities who may be able to help you sooner.

If the council decides you’re not eligible for help, you can challenge their decision.

You have 21 days to ask the council to review their decision, and your best course of action is to talk to a solicitor who may be able to take the council to court to ask for a judicial review.

This can be a complicated process, but you can find out if your case can be challenged by contacting one of the following:

The Civil Legal Advice Line on 0345 345 4 345.

A Law Centre. Find your nearest one here.

Shelter’s helpline free on 0808 800 4444, 8am to 8pm Monday to Friday and 8am to 5pm at weekends.

Other options open to you:

Visit a day centre. As well as offering showers, hot meals and somewhere to charge your phone, day centres often have advisors available who may be able to refer you to other types of housing.

To find a day centre in your area, you can ask your local council or a charity, or use a website to search for day centres.

If you have friends or family, you could ask to stay with them for a while, then redouble your efforts to find longer-term accommodation.