What to do if you are threatened with homelessness

Summary

This guide is for you if you are being made homeless soon. There are lots of different reasons why you may be homeless soon. For example, it could be because you are being evicted by your private landlord or because you are being made homeless by a partner as you separate. Regardless of where you are living right now, if there is a risk of you becoming homeless in the next 8 weeks this guide will take you through all you need to know to avoid losing your home. It will help you work out what steps you need to take and where to go for help. 1 Getting started 2 What does being threatened with homelessness mean? 3 When and how to get help from the council 4 Eligibility assessment 5 The Prevention duty - what it is and how long it lasts 6 Your assessment and Personal Housing Plan 7 How to deal with the council if it won’t accept your application 8 More help and advice 9 What does it mean? 10 About this guide If you are worried that you may have nowhere to live soon you are likely to be feeling stressed or anxious. You might be facing eviction by your landlord, who has given you a section 21 notice or a family member or partner might have asked you to leave. You might end up sofa.

Key information

• disrepair and other problems with housing conditions, like damp and mould,
• welfare benefits payments,
• you have British citizenship or the right to remain in the UK.
• you live outside England - (the law is different in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland),
• you are not eligible for help with housing - This is about your immigration status. See the section called Eligibility assessment for more help on this
• When the council must treat you as threatened with homelessness.
• When and how to contact the council for help.
• How the council will work out if you are eligible for help with housing.
• What the council must do to help stop you from becoming homeless - known as the ‘Prevention duty’
• How the council works out how to help you and what your Personal Housing Plan is.
• What you should do if the council doesn’t agree to help you.
• a survival guide to what to do if you are homeless

Practical guidance

• Source: What to do if you are threatened with homelessness

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