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Housing

Your Housing Options

When you are looking for a new home, there are different options that may be open to you depending on your situation.

If you are able to, private renting is usually the quickest option. You can apply for council or Housing Association Homes but waiting lists are often long—even for high-priority cases.

This section contains information and local services to help you with housing-related issues.

Your local district or borough council is responsible for social and affordable housing and assistance towards paying your rent. If you are not sure which district council is responsible for your area you can check which district council is responsible for your area.

You may find your district or borough council housing pages listed below:

Borough Councils:

District Councils:

Citizens Advice provide a huge amount of information on their website including homelessness, mortgages arrears,  understanding your tenancy agreement, dealing with noisy neighbours, home repairs, handling problems with your landlord and help to avoid losing your home and more.

The Shelter website contains information about housing, homelessness and eligibility for different accommodation.

Your local district or borough council is responsible for social and affordable housing and assistance towards paying your rent. If you are not sure which district council is responsible for your area you can check which district council is responsible for your area.

You may find your district or borough council housing pages listed below:

Borough Councils:

District Councils:

Citizens Advice provide a huge amount of information on their website including homelessness, mortgages arrears,  understanding your tenancy agreement, dealing with noisy neighbours, home repairs, handling problems with your landlord and help to avoid losing your home and more.

The Shelter website contains information about housing, homelessness and eligibility for different accommodation.

If you're homeless or threatened with homelessness

It’s usually worth applying to your local council for help if you're homeless - or if you’ll be homeless soon.

Depending on your situation, the council might:

  • find somewhere for you to stay short term

  • help you stay where you’re currently living - for example by talking to your landlord

  • find somewhere for you to live long term - this might be council housing or renting from a private landlord

Check if you can apply for homeless help from the council.

If you aren't a British or Irish citizen

Before you contact your local council, it’s important to check if your immigration status lets you apply for homeless help.

If you apply when you aren’t allowed to, the Home Office might refuse any immigration applications you make in the future. In rare cases, they might take you to court or end your visa early.

Check if you can apply for homeless help from the council.

If you're homeless and the council won't house you

You’ll need to consider finding a temporary place to stay if you don’t have anywhere you can stay tonight.

It’s worth asking friends or family members if you can stay with them while you find somewhere.

If you’ve slept outside overnight or you’re planning to sleep outside tonight

You can get help from Streetlink. They’ll help you get help from your local council or charities. You’ll need to tell Streetlink where you’re sleeping on their website. They’ll find you and help you find somewhere to stay. You might be able to get a place to stay in a hostel, night shelter, refuge or bed and breakfast. You can ask your local council for contact details of places to stay.

If the council have decided they won’t help you and you think they might be wrong, check if you can challenge the council’s homeless decision.

If you're homeless or threatened with homelessness

It’s usually worth applying to your local council for help if you're homeless - or if you’ll be homeless soon.

Depending on your situation, the council might:

  • find somewhere for you to stay short term

  • help you stay where you’re currently living - for example by talking to your landlord

  • find somewhere for you to live long term - this might be council housing or renting from a private landlord

Check if you can apply for homeless help from the council.

If you aren't a British or Irish citizen

Before you contact your local council, it’s important to check if your immigration status lets you apply for homeless help.

If you apply when you aren’t allowed to, the Home Office might refuse any immigration applications you make in the future. In rare cases, they might take you to court or end your visa early.

Check if you can apply for homeless help from the council.

If you're homeless and the council won't house you

You’ll need to consider finding a temporary place to stay if you don’t have anywhere you can stay tonight.

It’s worth asking friends or family members if you can stay with them while you find somewhere.

If you’ve slept outside overnight or you’re planning to sleep outside tonight

You can get help from Streetlink. They’ll help you get help from your local council or charities. You’ll need to tell Streetlink where you’re sleeping on their website. They’ll find you and help you find somewhere to stay. You might be able to get a place to stay in a hostel, night shelter, refuge or bed and breakfast. You can ask your local council for contact details of places to stay.

If the council have decided they won’t help you and you think they might be wrong, check if you can challenge the council’s homeless decision.

Your home is a place to relax and enjoy spending time with family and friends so we know you’ll want to protect it, and stay safe while you are in it. We’ve put together some information to make you aware of the risks and potential dangers in your home and what you can do to reduce them.

Protecting your home from crime

It is important to make sure you protect yourself and your home from people who may want to sneak in and steal your personal belongings.

Burglars are opportunistic thieves and will seek out any opening they can take advantage of to get into your home - even when you are there. 

Here are some tips to follow:

  • Always close doors and accessible windows when you are not in the room
  • Do not keep valuable items within reach of open windows
  • Put away all keys as a thief could hook keys or other valuables even through a small opening
  • If someone knocks on your door, make sure you know who it is before you open it. A video doorbell can help.
  • Consider fitting tamper-proof, automatic, outside security lights
  • At bedtime, check windows are closed and external doors are locked
  • Think about installing a burglar alarm that can be seen from outside to deter unwanted attention to your home. Make sure you put your alarm on when you go to bed.

Some organisations that can help

The Child Accident Prevention Trust (CAPT) is the UK’s leading charity working to reduce the number of children and young people killed disabled or seriously injured in accidents. Their site contains practical guidance, advice and resources for parents and practitioners.  

The Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service has a number of questionaries’ you can use to check if your home is as safe as it can be. Also see the Gov.uk site for fire safety.

If you are worried about safety in you home The Blue Lamp Trust has a number of schemes that can help.

Your home is a place to relax and enjoy spending time with family and friends so we know you’ll want to protect it, and stay safe while you are in it. We’ve put together some information to make you aware of the risks and potential dangers in your home and what you can do to reduce them.

Protecting your home from crime

It is important to make sure you protect yourself and your home from people who may want to sneak in and steal your personal belongings.

Burglars are opportunistic thieves and will seek out any opening they can take advantage of to get into your home - even when you are there. 

Here are some tips to follow:

  • Always close doors and accessible windows when you are not in the room
  • Do not keep valuable items within reach of open windows
  • Put away all keys as a thief could hook keys or other valuables even through a small opening
  • If someone knocks on your door, make sure you know who it is before you open it. A video doorbell can help.
  • Consider fitting tamper-proof, automatic, outside security lights
  • At bedtime, check windows are closed and external doors are locked
  • Think about installing a burglar alarm that can be seen from outside to deter unwanted attention to your home. Make sure you put your alarm on when you go to bed.

Some organisations that can help

The Child Accident Prevention Trust (CAPT) is the UK’s leading charity working to reduce the number of children and young people killed disabled or seriously injured in accidents. Their site contains practical guidance, advice and resources for parents and practitioners.  

The Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service has a number of questionaries’ you can use to check if your home is as safe as it can be. Also see the Gov.uk site for fire safety.

If you are worried about safety in you home The Blue Lamp Trust has a number of schemes that can help.

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