Your housing options as a Care Leaver

Your Housing Options as a Care Leaver

As you turn 18, finding the right place to live is a big step. It is very important that wherever you wish to live, it is safe and feels like a home. We know not all young people will be ready to live unsupported on their own straight away. Your Personal Adviser (PA) will be able to guide you through the different housing options available and support you in figuring out what's the best fit for you. Don't hesitate to ask your PA any questions you have – they're there to help you through this process.

We provide a range of accommodation as we understand that everyone has different circumstances, and the offer will depend upon your age and ability to live independently.

The options that we currently support young people with are:

Staying Put

If you are living with foster carers and want to stay there after you become 18, if both you and the foster carer agree, we will support you to remain there. This is called ‘Staying Put’. Staying Put arrangements are for young adults who choose to remain with their carers post 18 until they reach the age of 21. Staying Put is all about giving you the support and stability you need to take your next steps with confidence. The principle guiding the legislation is to offer such young adults the option to remain living with their foster carers until they feel ready to live independently, however, in the year you turn 20, your PA will have a discussion with you as to whether you would like to stay post 21. If your foster carer and you decide to have a private arrangement whereby you continue to live there as a tenant it will not come under the staying put arrangement but rather will be referred to as a  private arrangement and your PA will be able to explain to you what this is. View Sutton’s staying put policy here [External link]. 

Supported Accommodation

Supported accommodation could be a shared house or self-contained, where a key worker is available during the day, or floating support services are available to help you to achieve your independence goals. Your Personal Adviser will help to decide how many key work hours you may need every week, depending on how much support you may need to develop skills to live independently. 

You will be issued a Licence Agreement, and will need to apply for housing benefits to help cover the rent, and sometimes pay a service/personal charge to cover bills. You will be placed into the one that best  meets your needs. Your Personal Adviser can guide you with further information. 

Independent Accomodation

London Borough of Sutton Housing Advice Services

If you choose to live independently or semi-independently in Sutton once you've turned 18, your application for a place to live will be managed by the Councils’ Housing Advice Service.

The Housing Advice Service works closely with Sutton Council's Leaving Care Team to help young people who are leaving care find independent housing. They  help young people find suitable housing options, including social housing and private rentals. Each year, a certain number of 1- and 2-bedroom properties are set aside specifically for care leavers to help them live independently.

We do not want any of our care leavers to end up homeless. The Housing advice service offers services to prevent that. This includes emergency accommodation, help managing your tenancy, and financial advice. They also help with rent in advance and a deposit guarantee for private rentals if social housing isn't available.

Housing Advice service team offers ongoing Floating Support service , personalised support to manage tenancies, budget well, and access services  you might need in the future.

Housing Allocations:

• When you and your Social Worker or Personal Adviser decide that the time is right for you to have your own tenancy you will be asked to complete an Online Housing Options Form. 

• You will need your National Insurance Number to complete this form. 

• You need to check the box that says you are a Care experienced young person  and keep a note of your reference number. 

• Once you have done this your Personal Adviser will complete a Housing Nomination Form. 

• You will be offered a property. You will only be given one suitable offer.   Unless any refusal has been agreed you will not get a further offer. 

• You could be offered a property anywhere within Sutton Borough.  You may be offered a 1 bedroom flat or studio, or if you are assessed as needing two bedrooms a two bedroom flat or two bed room house. This could be on any floor, on estates or private roads, you may or may not have a balcony or garden.

Private Rented Accommodation

Some care leavers decide to rent privately instead of social housing offered by Sutton council. We will still provide advice and guidance as required and agreed in the Pathway Plan. It is likely your landlord will require a deposit and rent in advance before they will agree to a tenancy. If you are over 18 and assessed as being ready  for a tenancy, we will support you to access rent deposit schemes, or if appropriate, you could also speak to your personal adviser about accessing your “Setting Up Home Allowance” to pay for this.

If you are planning to move to a private rented property, the Housing Access Team offers a 0.5-hour online course (3 modules). This course will help you understand how to find a rented home and provides information about vital tenancy management skills. It covers housing options, rights and responsibilities, living on a limited budget, looking after a property, and more. The course is free of charge, and after completing all three modules successfully, you will be issued a certificate. You can share a copy of the certificate with private landlords, as it may help you secure a property more quickly. 

For more information, please visit the Sutton Housing Advice Services Online Training Courses website [External link].

Family home

If you decide to return to your family home, you will continue to receive support from your personal adviser and will be entitled to your rights and services as a care leaver. Your legal status as a ‘Care Leaver’ along with its rights will remain the same.

University Accommodation

We can help you make arrangements and decisions about where you'd like to live while you're at university, and we offer financial support towards your rent. Your PA can provide more information, including details about our Leaving Care Team Discretionary Higher Education Bursary Scheme.

Emergency Accommodation

We understand sometimes you may need emergency accommodation. If that happens, you can go to the Housing Advice Service at the Sutton Civic Offices and ask for support. They will figure out why you need emergency housing and discuss  how best to help you. It's really important to talk to the Housing Advice Service and your Personal Adviser as soon as you start to worry about anything to do with your tenancy or money. They can help you and stop you from needing emergency housing.

‘Moving in Day’

We know that moving out on your own is a huge step, it's not just about paying bills and cooking but it is also about staying healthy and safe. We will be there to make sure everything goes smoothly on your ‘moving in day’. We realise this can be an exciting but also scary time.  Your Personal Adviser will be there with you every step of the way for emotional and practical support if you need so. We will help you settle in and make sure all practical things are in place too, such as water, gas and electricity.