Guest The Pom Queen Posted March 12, 2017 Share Posted March 12, 2017 Sometimes things don't work out overseas for one reason or another and you may have to return to the UK with no money, no family to turn to, no job, house etc. This is obviously a difficult and upsetting situation to be in but there is help available if you think you're going to be homeless. There are a number of different housing options open to you, depending on your age, income and what is available in your area. Your three main options are supported housing or hostels, making a homeless application to the council or renting from a private landlord. Supported housing includes a variety of different kinds of housing such as hostels, shared houses, or a flat of your own. You normally get help from support workers who visit you regularly or work in the same building. They often help with benefits, housing, training, education or anything else you might need extra help with. One example of supported housing is a Foyer. Foyers provide housing, training and support for young people. There are foyer schemes around the UK. To find out what supported housing exists in your area talk to a local advice agency such as a Citizens Advice Bureau or a housing aid centre. If you're going to be homeless you can also apply to the council for help by making a homeless application. The council will have to provide you with housing advice but they only have to provide emergency housing to people who are classed as being in priority need, this includes people who have children or have significant physical or mental health problems or are vulnerable for other reasons. You can also look at the possibility of privately renting a home. You can find privately rented housing through estate agents, letting agencies, newsagents' windows and advertisements in local newspapers. If you use an agency it will usually charge fees for references and administration charges. You'll also need money up-front to pay for rent in advance (usually one month) and a deposit (at least the equivalent of one month's rent). If you don't have the money for a deposit, you may be able to get help from a bond scheme. These organisations will guarantee a deposit instead of you having to pay a deposit. To find out if there is a bond scheme in your local area you can contact Crisis SmartMove or check with your local council or advice centre as the website does not list all schemes. If you find somewhere to rent, you may be eligible for housing benefit. Housing benefit is available to help people who are on benefits or who have low incomes to pay their rent. But it's important to bear in mind that sometimes your housing benefit can be restricted and will only cover a certain amount of your rent. If you are homeless and in an emergency and want to speak to someone before you contact the council then you could phone Shelterline, a free, confidential, national housing advice phoneline, on 0808 800 4444. If you would like to speak to someone about other services for young people in your area you can call Get Connected, a free, confidential, national phoneline for young people, on 0808 808 4994 between 1pm and 11pm daily. You could look at homeshare. In Homeshare, someone who needs a small amount of help to live independently in their own home is matched with someone who has a housing need and can provide support or companionship. Homeshare schemes arrange the matching process between the ‘Householder’, who typically owns their home but has developed some support needs or has become isolated or anxious about living alone, with the ‘Homesharer‘, typically a younger student or key public service worker who cannot afford housing. Usually no rent is charged, but the household bills are shared, and in return the Homesharer will help out around the house, for example by cooking meals, running errands, shopping trips and providing company. Homeshare works because a new relationship, designed to bring benefits to both people, is balanced with clarity and safeguards to protect everyone. http://www.sharedlivesplus.org.uk/ Housing advice centres Housing advice centres can offer advice and information about all aspects of housing. Some are run by local authorities while others are run by voluntary organisations. Details of independent housing advice centres are available from:- England Shelter 88 Old Street London EC1V 9HU Helpline: 0808 800 4444 Email: info@shelter.org.uk Website: www.shelter.org.uk Wales Shelter Cymru 25 Walter Road Swansea SA1 5NN Tel: 01792 469400 Fax: 01792 460050 E-mail: mail@sheltercymru.org.uk Website: www.sheltercymru.org.uk Scotland Shelter 4th Floor Scotia Bank House 6 South Charlotte Street Edinburgh EH2 4AW Tel: 0844 515 2000 Website: http://scotland.shelter.org.uk Shelter also operates a free housing advice helpline for anyone with a housing problem. The service is available via minicom and textphone, and a special translation service can be provided where necessary. Tel: 0808 800 4444. Northern Ireland Housing Rights Service Middleton Buildings Fourth Floor 10-12 High Street Belfast BT1 2BA Tel: 028 9024 5640 Fax: 028 9031 2200 E-mail: hrs@housingrights.org.uk Website: www.housing-rights.org.uk The Scottish Housing Regulator The Scottish Housing Regulator Highlander House 58 Waterloo Street GLASGOW G2 7DA Tel: 0141 271 3810 Fax: 0141 221 5030 E-mail: shr@scottishhousingregulator.gsi.gov.uk Website: www.scottishhousingregulator.gov.uk Housing rights information for people coming from abroad There is a useful website about housing for people who come from abroad, for example, refugees, people who hold work permits, people in the UK with indefinite leave to remain and EEA nationals. The website address for England and Wales is www.housing-rights.info. Information for Scotland can be found on the same website at www.housing-rights.info. In Northern Ireland, you can find information at www.housingadviceni.org.uk. 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Guest The Pom Queen Posted March 12, 2017 Share Posted March 12, 2017 Eligibility for council housing depends on your nationality, immigration status and if you've recently lived abroad. What does eligibility mean? The council can't allow you onto its housing waiting list or housing register if you are not eligible. Most people are eligible but some people from abroad are not. British citizens You are eligible to apply for council housing if you are a British citizen living in the UK and you have not lived abroad recently. Each council has its own local rules about who qualifies to go on the housing register in its area. British citizens who have been living abroad If you are British, the council can only provide housing for you if you live in the UK. This is called the habitual residence test. To assess if you're habitually resident in the UK, the council considers: where you live and work where your family or friends are the reasons why you have come to live in the area where you intend to live in future if you had been habitually resident in the UK in the past You may be affected by the habitual residence test if you are a British citizen who has been living outside the UK, Republic of Ireland, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man for some time. If you are not eligible to apply for council housing immediately, you may qualify after you've been back in the UK for a few months. People with a long-term or indefinite right to stay You may be eligible for council housing if you normally live in the UK and you: are a worker from the European Economic Area (EEA) (the EU countries plus Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and Liechtenstein) are a self employed EEA worker or a member of an EEA worker's family have indefinite leave to remain in the UK (settled status) have refugee status have exceptional leave to remain, discretionary leave or humanitarian protection, as long as your immigration status doesn't specify that you should have no recourse to public funds People with a short term or limited right to stay You are not allowed to apply for council housing if you are from abroad, subject to UK immigration control and have a short-term or limited right to stay. You won't be eligible if you have a visit visa or student visa or your conditions of stay specify that you have no recourse to public funds. Asylum seekers don't qualify for council housing. You may be able to claim asylum support. If you have children, a disability or special support needs, you may be able to get help from council social services. People with no right to stay You can't apply for a council home if you entered the UK unlawfully and have not been granted any leave to remain here or if you have overstayed your visa. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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