Homelessness Support in the UK

Ask for help as soon as you know your home is at risk. You can ask if any of these apply:

• 🏠 You have been told to leave where you are staying
• You have an eviction notice from your landlord
• You are fleeing violence or abuse at home
• You cannot afford rent and may be evicted
• Your home has become dangerous to live in

The sooner you ask, the more the council can do to help.

Your local council (the housing department) must help you. By law, they have these duties:

• Prevention: If you might be homeless within 56 days, they must try to stop it happening
• Finding housing: If you are already homeless, they must help you find somewhere to stay
• Emergency housing: If you have children, are pregnant, or are very vulnerable, they must give you emergency accommodation tonight

The council must help everyone — not just families with children.

Contact your local council's housing department. You can do this by phone, in person, or online.

• Tell them you are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless
• Bring ID, any eviction letter, and details of your children if you have any
• Tell them about any health problems or other needs you have

The council must give you a written decision. If you do not agree with it, you can ask for a review within 21 days.

If you have nowhere to sleep tonight, you can still get help.

• 📞 Call your council's emergency housing line — available 24 hours a day
• 📞 Call Shelter: 0808 800 4444 (8am to 8pm, every day) — free advice
• 📞 Call Street Link: 0300 500 0914 if you are sleeping rough

If you are fleeing abuse, you do not need a local connection to the area to get help.