Help and advice for Homelessness

We will ask you questions to fully assess your circumstances. You’ll need to have the following information to hand for everyone in your household:

• names and dates of birth

• 5 year address history

• information on any medical conditions or other support needs

• details of your income and any benefits you receive

We may ask you to provide some or all of the following documents:

• proof of ID such as passport or birth certificate

• birth certificates for any children

• tenancy agreement

• any notice served by your landlord

• proof of pregnancy or any medical conditions

• bank statements, wage slips and benefit letters

• any other documents relevant to your case

Personalised Housing Plan 

If we agree that you’re homeless or threatened with homelessness within 56 days, we will draw up a Personalised Housing Plan with you. This will list the actions for both you and your Housing Adviser to take to either:

• stop you from becoming homeless

• help you find new accommodation if you’re already homeless

Your Personalised Housing Plan will include actions that you and your Housing Adviser will agree to take.

You may agree to:

• contact your landlord to try to resolve particular issues

• fill in forms, such as an income and expenditure form, which will show us how much money you spend or have coming in

• keep a record of any actions you’ve taken

• be referred to other organisations for advice and support

• contact any family or friends to ask them to let you stay temporarily

• look for work or privately rented accommodation

Your Housing Advisor may agree to:

• give you advice about your rights as a tenant

• talk to your family or friends if they’ve told you to leave

• help you make a claim for benefits or discretionary housing payments

• help you find private rented accommodation

• refer you to other organisations for specialist advice and support, such as the NHS, welfare benefits or debt advice

• help you to defend your landlord’s claim for possession of the property, if the notice they have served is invalid

Getting a Council property

You probably won’t be offered Council property, even if you are homeless. There are very few available properties.