Youth Support Services

Housing

Everyone needs somewhere to live. If you don’t have much money, are leaving home for the first time, or have left home in a hurry, it can be difficult to find somewhere to call home.

Moving out of home

Staying with friends, renting or buying – leaving home is a big change in your life which can be exciting, fun and daunting all at the same time with a mass of responsibilities to match. Make sure you know what you’re letting yourself in for before you decide to make the leap.

There’s a lot to consider: bills, benefits, tenancy agreements, mortgage types, council tax, house sharing, deposits, legal rights, landlords and so on.

Check out the national links opposite for lots of information on your housing options. To search for housing organisations, try the Housingnet site.

Don’t forget to check out the local newspapers and letting agencies for rooms and properties to rent, or read the notice boards at colleges, uni’s and post offices, etc. for local rental opportunities. Take a walk around the area where you’d like to rent and look for TO LET boards. Act fast and persevere, as good accommodation goes very quickly. Always take someone with you when viewing both for safety and a second opinion.

You will usually be asked to pay a deposit on your rental property as security against things like rent arrears, damage or removal of furniture. Some local authorities, housing associations and charities offer loans to help you pay your deposit – these are known as Rent Deposit Guarantee Schemes. Contact your local council’s housing department for details about possible schemes operating in your area.

On April 6th 2007 a new Rent Deposit Protection Scheme came into force. Visit Shelter to find out more.

 

Studying away from home

Going away to college or university means you'll have to find somewhere to live whilst you're there. Your best bet is to contact Student Services or the Student Union at the college or university where you'll be studying. They will be able to tell you what accommodation is available both in Halls of Residence and privately.

You’ll have to decide what’s going to be best for you in terms of budget, independence, closeness to uni, availability, sharing, suitability for studying and so on.

Universities and colleges all have their own websites which offer loads of information about student life, the area and accommodation. For a full list of college and university websites, go to the UCAS site.

It’s a really good idea to visit the place where you are going to study if possible and to check out exactly what’s available. It may help you make your mind up whether you want to be in Halls or go into a shared house. Many students like to go into Halls for their first year for that bit of extra support and then go into shared houses after that, but that’s not always possible if your uni has limited Halls places. However, if you can do a visit, you may even be in exactly the right place at the right time and manage to snap up the best accommodation on the spot.

 

Housing and disabled people

If you have a disability you may have special housing requirements that help make life easier. You may also be entitled to extra financial help to enable you to live independently. There are several organisations that work to ensure that your needs are met.

The Disabled Living Foundation provides equipment, advice and information. Call their helpline on 0845 130 9177 for more information.

Contact the housing department at your local Council to find out what modifications you are entitled to and to apply for them to be installed.

 

Buying a home

Buying a home is probably the biggest purchase you'll make in your life, so get as much advice as you can.

Check out the local papers and sign up with local estate agents. This is free & they will send you details of properties that fit your criteria but keep in regular contact by phone so they let you know first when something is new to the market.

The links below contain useful information and advice on getting started on the property ladder, mortgages, neighbourhood guides and lists of properties available. Happy house hunting!

 

Leaving care

Children's Services have a duty to help you with your housing needs when you are about to leave care. They should also continue to support you once you leave and help you to sort out any problems.

You will need to meet with your keyworker or Personal Adviser as part of your leaving care package. This is when you can talk about suitable accommodation and apply for financial help if necessary. Between the two of you, you should create a leaving care plan which will set out what help and support you will need to cope with life outside care.

Contact Children's Services

Make sure you keep in contact with your social worker and tell them immediately if anything goes wrong with your housing.

There's an organisation called National Voice which is run by and for young people who are in care or who have ben in care.

 

Leaving prison

If you are over 18 and have just left prison, your Probation Officer will be able to give you advice about what housing is available to you.

Hampshire Probation Service also runs three hostels in Fareham, Portsmouth and Southampton, mostly taking people on bail or those who have just left prison. Places get snapped up quickly so ask to apply for a place as soon as you can. The Probation Officers are based in teams all around Hampshire; if you have lost the number of yours, ring the Probation HQ on 01962 842202 and ask for your local office.

If you are under 18 and have just left a young offenders’ Institute, the local Youth Offending Team (or YOT) will be able to support you with your accommodation. As well as offering a Personal Adviser support service, each YOT has a designated Accommodation Officer.

If you become homeless whilst on a Probation Order or a Licence you must tell the Probation Service or YOT immediately or else your probation terms could be breached. Plus, the sooner you let them know you have housing problems, the quicker someone will be able to help you.

 

Runaways

If things have got to the point where you’ve had to run away from home, you can still access services from the Council or Social Services, but there are also free helplines that you can contact specifically to do with running away:

Remember, sleeping rough is not a good idea and is particularly dangerous if you are on your own or in a place you don’t know. If you have to sleep on the streets as a last resort, try to stick to these guidelines:

  • Sleep where there are other rough sleepers.
  • Get hold of a sleeping bag or blankets to keep warm.
  • Always try to sleep on a bench or on pieces of cardboard to insulate yourself from the cold ground.
  • Try to eat or drink something hot before you go to bed.
  • Keep your head covered, as well as your hands and feet, as you lose 50% of your body heat through your head.
  • Don’t drink alcohol before you go to sleep. It actually dehydrates you and makes your body temperature fall.

Please be careful of individuals who approach you and try to befriend you or offer you free accommodation. It may be that they will expect something in return. It's always safest to go to a proper organisation or charity if you need help.

 

Homelessness and emergency accomodation

This page is currently being updated, if you are homeless and need urgent assistance please get in touch with children's services on: