Homeless services
Local authorities work directly with individuals and families to support them out of homelessness or to prevent them from becoming homeless. They provide emergency accommodation and can also offer deposits and advance rental payments and other support to help.
In this section
What to do if you are homeless or at risk of homelessness
You are considered homeless if one of the following applies to you:
- There is no accommodation available that, in the opinion of the local authority, you and any other person who normally lives with you, can reasonably stay or remain in
- You are living in a hospital, county home, night shelter or other such institution, and you are living there because you have no suitable accommodation
- You are, in the opinion of the local authority, unable to provide accommodation from your own resources
If you are homeless or at risk of homelessness, you can contact your local authority for support and advice.
Your local authority can help assess your needs and, where appropriate and possible, provide emergency accommodation.
Your local authority will also be able to guide you in applying for social housing support. The fact that you are homeless will be taken into account when assessing your need for housing.
Emergency and temporary accommodation
Local authorities provide and fund emergency and temporary accommodation for those experiencing homelessness, including family hubs for families with children.
The accommodation is provided as an emergency (short-term) response and while in emergency accommodation, the local authority will engage with you to address issues and explore alternative accommodation.
Homeless HAP
The Homeless HAP Scheme provides additional financial and related supports to help secure accommodation for those who are homeless, along with all of the benefits of the national HAP scheme.
Homeless HAP provides deposit and up-front rent payments and competitive rates to help secure properties for those who are homeless.
The HAP Place Finder Service allows for local authorities to help those in emergency homeless accommodation with any deposit or advance rental payments needed to get accommodation under the HAP scheme.