in this section
Thinking about moving out?'A Place of Your Own' will also give you information for when you have got somewhere to live.
THINKING ABOUT MOVING OUT?
Most people will someday move out of their family home. Some people don't have any choice how or when this happens. However if you are able to plan your move things will be much easier. Living on your on can be hard especially if you are under 18. Start thinking about living independently early on if you can, and look into the costs and responsibilities while you are still supported by family, friends or an advice worker. You can also find out what support is available, for example tenancy support. See here for more information about tenancy support.
If you are living with parents but not getting along, you might be able to get help sorting things out between you and them. Ask someone that both you and your parents trust (like a relative or support worker) to sit down with you and try and reach a compromise on the things you disagree on. See below
You cannot legally live alone under the age of 16. See here for more information.
WHERE TO GO FOR HELP
Speak to a worker at Castlegate, who can talk to you about your options, and what to do next. They can also help you apply for housing or talk to you about renting somewhere. You can also use the computers and phone for accommodation searching.
The Council's Housing Options Team at the Customer Services Centre can offer you advice and information to plan your housing options. If you are homeless, they may have a duty to find you emergency accommodation, depending on your circumstances. If you are 16 or 17 this may be through Children's Social Care (Social Services) see also here. They may also be able to negotiate with family or friends to help you stay where you are. However they should only do this if it is safe for you to stay, and should still investigate your situation. See below 'If you are being told to leave' and 'Emergency accommodation'. For Contact Details see our A-Z
IF YOU ARE BEING TOLD TO LEAVE
See also 'If you have to leave home' and 'A
Place to stay'.
If things are getting difficult at home, get information and support as soon as possible, for example to look at your options or apply for supported accommodation or independent accommodation.
If you are being asked to leave where you are living get advice as early as possible. Something may be done to stop it happening, or to give you more time to plan what you are going to do.
If you are being threatened with eviction, or your landlord is doing something that makes it difficult to stay (e.g. threatening or harassing you) get advice as soon as possible. Something may be done to stop it happening, or to give you more time to plan what you are going to do. Get help from Castlegate, the Council's Housing Options Team, Key House, or CAB. See also Problems with where you live.
For Contact Details see our A-Z
The Housing Options Team and the Young Person's Accommodation Workers (who work with 16/17 year olds) are all based at the Customer Services Centre and can help explain your options, and intervene on your behalf if possible. They may also have some funds to help you find accommodation or to keep you at home. For Contact Details see our A-Z
There are also housing support workers based at Scarcroft, York Housing Association and Foundation. They may be able to work with you and your family so that you can carry on living there, and if that's not possible, look at other options with you such as supported housing. (See here) You'll need to be referred by someone you are already working with, or by talking to a worker at Castlegate.
If you are 16/17 and you and your family are having difficulty living together, SASH Crash Pad may be able to help. They offer short term accommodation (e.g. for a few weeks at a time) as a breathing space. This comes with personal support and help to try and improve the situation so that returning home is possible. If not, they will look at other options with you. You'll need to be referred by e.g. Castlegate or the Council's Housing Options Team.
IF YOU HAVE TO LEAVE HOME
Try to take all important papers with you i.e. birth certificate, passport, National Insurance card/number, driving licence, bank book, medical card, address book, benefit papers etc.
Pack only essential clothes and toiletries - you may have to carry your stuff around. Take your mobile phone and charger, and any medication you take. You can get the rest of your stuff later if you can't take it all now.
Save as much money as you can in advance.
If you can, get advice early in the day and preferably early in the week. A lot of the places that can help you are only open in office hours, and not at weekends.
Unless you have a job that you are still able to go to, you'll need to find out about any benefits you are entitled to as soon as possible. Sorting out benefits as well as a place to stay can be stressful and take a long time. If you are making a new claim, it may take a while before you get any money; apply for a Crisis Loan while you're waiting. For more information about crisis loans see here.
If you are already claiming benefits, you will need to let Jobcentre Plus know about your new circumstances and new address if you have one. Otherwise, you can arrange to pick up your giro in person. You can still claim benefits if you are homeless.
If you want to let someone know you are safe without phoning them yourself, phone Message Home or the Runaway Helpline (for under 18's) who will pass the message on for you without saying where you are. They can also refer you to other agencies. For Contact Details see our A-Z
If you have just been kicked out, you'll need somewhere safe to stay the night. You'll need to find somewhere for at least a few days, to give yourself time to sort things out. Try asking your friends or relatives first. They probably won't mind putting you up, as long as you make it clear it's only for a short while. The Council may have to offer you emergency accommodation. See here for more information. If neither of these is possible then you may be able to use:
SASH Nightstop offers short term accommodation (one night at a time) to young people 1624 in the homes of trained volunteers. You will also be offered an evening meal, a chance to freshen up, and breakfast. If you have nowhere to stay that night, ask to be referred. Go to Castlegate, the Council's Housing Options Team at Customer Services Centre, CAB or Salvation Army to find out more. For Contact Details see our A-Z
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LOOKING FOR SOMEWHERE TO LIVE
The three main options covered here are supported housing schemes (see below); Council and Housing Association property (see here) and private rented accommodation. (see here)
For the following schemes you will need to be referred by a Housing Options worker. They will usually have a waiting list. They all offer accommodation and support, and help to move on into permanent housing (e.g. your own Council or Housing Association tenancy or private tenancy) when you are ready.
You can see a Housing Options worker at Castlegate, the Council's Housing Options Team or Salvation Army. If you are under 18 you can also see one of the Young People's Accommodation Workers, based at the Customer Services Centre. (Referrals are made through the 'Single Access Point'). For Contact Details see our A-Z.
SASH Supported Lodgings offers young people 1624 supported accommodation, as a lodger in the home of a trained volunteer, from one month up to two years.
Scarcroft Project - offers accommodation to16-18 year olds who are homeless or facing homelessness and in need of support. They have shared flats for 9 young people and 2 self contained houses.
Southlands Road has five places is for young people 16-17 (though they can also take people 18-21) and offers 24hr support. It is run by Foundation.
Scarcroft and Southlands together have 12 move on flats for people who are ready to move out of either place.
Peasholme Centre offers supported accommodation for up to a year to men and women 16+ (and couples without children). The centre is purpose built, with 22 en-suite rooms (including 2 shared rooms) and also training rooms including a workshop, IT suite and kitchen to improve your life skills.
Peasholme Shared Housing Scheme offers supported housing for up to 2 years, to women and men aged 18+ who have been homeless. They have 20 bedsits.
Arc Light offers direct access supported accommodation for up to 12 months for people aged 18+ who are at risk of sleeping rough. (and 16 / 17 year olds depending on circumstances). The purpose built facility has 35 bedrooms and training areas including workshop, IT suite and kitchen to develop lifeskills with resettlement planning and support.
Renting from the Council or a Housing Association
The Council and most Housing Associations (as well as other Councils and Housing Associations across North Yorkshire) are now part of North Yorkshire Home Choice and have a common application form that covers them all. To apply for housing either register online at northyorkshirehomechoice.org.uk or get an application form from Customer Services Centre, Castlegate, or call Housing Registrations for a form to be sent out. (Joseph Rowntree Housing Trust also take nominations direct. See here).
Your housing situation and personal circumstances will be verified, and will be used to decide which 'priority band' you are in for housing emergency, gold, silver or bronze (lowest priority). If you have any housing debt to a Council or Housing Association, this can affect your application - get advice about this. You can apply if you are homeless, but unless you have an address where you stay part-time, and where your housing situation can be verified, you will be put in a low priority band. Again, get advice about this.
Nearly all vacant properties is advertised. The North Yorkshire Home Choice scheme allows you to 'bid' for any property that you are interested in. (This is not about money, but about registering your interest). You can bid online, by phone or by text for up to three properties per week. You can bid for property that is the right size for your household's needs, but can also bid for properties one bedroom bigger or smaller.
The property will be offered to the bidder in the highest 'priority band'. If there is a 'tie' (that is, more than one person in the highest band) then other circumstances will be taken into account, for example certain housing debt, size of property compared to your households needs and how long you have been on the register. Properties will be advertised at northyorkshirehomechoice.org.uk and in Council offices. Support workers can bid on your behalf with your consent.
You can go on the list from age 16. However if you are under 18 you will need a 'trustee' and a support package. This usually means having a tenancy support worker who will help you with the skills you need to live independently. A trustee is someone who signs the tenancy with you but does not have financial liability. If you do not have someone who can act as a trustee, get advice from Castlegate about the York Action on Young Homeless Trustee Scheme, who publish this guide.
You must tell them about any changes in your circumstances as it can affect your application; especially if you change address. You can do this through the website or by calling Housing Registrations. You should also tell them:
if you are being asked to leave,
or someone else moves into the
place you are living
if the place where you live is making you ill or affecting your
mental health, and about any medical
condition or disability
if you have a child (you'll need to show the birth certificate)
Joseph Rowntree Housing Trust is part of the joint register (see above) but also takes applications direct, so it is worth applying to them separately as well. Ring them for an application form or download from jrht.org.uk. You can apply from age 16, but if you are under 18 ask for advice as you may need a support worker and/or guarantor. For Contact Details see our A-Z.
Renting from a Private Landlord
See also 'A Place of Your own' which has information about bonds, bills and benefits, and who to go to if you have problems with where you live.
In York, accommodation is in high demand and therefore usually expensive, and standards will vary. Lodging with someone (where you live with your landlord or share living space with them) can be more 'friendly', though as a lodger you have fewer rights than as a tenant.
Rented accommodation is often furnished. You will usually have to pay a bond (you get it back when you leave if nothing is damaged or missing) and rent in advance). If you cannot afford what they ask, try negotiating with what you have. It's probably better to do this face to face where they can meet you rather than on the phone.
The Housing Options Team at Customer Services Centre have a Bond Guarantee Scheme. They can help people who are on benefits or a low income to get private rented accommodation by guaranteeing the bond to the landlord, and/or paying rent in advance to secure it. You will need to get housing advice first from the Council's Housing Options Team, Castlegate or Salvation Army, and give proof of your income etc. For Contact Details see our A-Z
You might be able to get 'Discretionary Housing Payments' from Housing Benefits to pay for a deposit or rent in advance, depending on your circumstances. See here. The Social Fund can also give Crisis Loans for rent in advance. See here.
If you rent a self contained flat/house, or room in a shared house (not as a lodger), you should be given an 'Assured Shorthold Tenancy' which gives you legal rights. See also here, and Tenancy Deposit Schemes
Where to look:
Thursdays The Press 'Property' supplement carries adverts from letting agencies and a few small ads from landlords letting direct. These include rooms in shared houses and self contained property (e.g. flats and houses). Also at yorkpress.co.uk
For online ads try: gumtree.com/york or fish4homes.co.uk or findaproperty.com They are free sites and can be used to look for rented property in York and elsewhere. Gumtree is best for shared accommodation - look under 'Flats and Houses: to share: offered'. There is a danger with any website that some adverts will be trying to con you. Never hand over money for a place you've never seen in person, and without getting a receipt. If in doubt, don't take it any further and report it to the webmaster.
Letting agencies / estate agents - these are private companies, used by landlords to rent out property on their behalf. They will want to check references - e.g. a credit reference and job reference - and will charge you a non-refundable fee of £100130 per person to do this. Some letting agencies also let rooms in shared houses - others just deal with tenancies for flats and houses. It is difficult (though not impossible) to rent through a letting agency if you are not in work and haven't the money for a deposit and rent in advance. Landlords will sometimes accept a bond guarantee (see above). Adverts in Thursday's The Press Property Supplement.
You should also look for adverts in post offices, local shops etc. and ask friends and family to ask around for you.
The Shared Housing Scheme run by York Housing Association has shared furnished accommodation for single people 18+. Ring for an application form direct or get one from Castlegate. For Contact Details see our A-Z.
When viewing any property, take basic safety precautions - if you cant take someone with you, make sure someone knows where you are going and what time to expect you to check back with them.
EMERGENCY ACCOMMODATION
If you are homeless or about to become homeless (or kicked out), the Council's Housing Options Team will work with you to try and sort things out where you live. You may be offered emergency accommodation depending on your circumstances, and for example if you (or someone who lives with you) are:
responsible for dependant children
pregnant
aged 16 or 17 years old - see here
vulnerable because of a physical disability, learning difficulty, mental health problem or some other special need/ circumstance
Tell the Housing Options Team about any of the above, about any medical problems you have, or if you are escaping violence or abuse. You should also tell them if you have spent time being 'looked after' by Social Services or have been in prison, on remand or in the armed forces, no matter for how long. You will usually be offered an interview in private, and with either a man or woman if you prefer. For Contact Details see our A-Z
Independent Domestic Abuse Services (IDAS) - provides safe temporary accommodation for women (and any children) fleeing domestic violence. They also have an outreach service that works with both female and male victims of domestic abuse. For Contact Details see our A-Z
What happens next?
If you are 16 or 17 see here as well.
You may be offered temporary accommodation. If so, you will also be given a support worker, and they will look at your support needs with you and how well you manage. For example your practical skills, if you pay your rent, or rent contribution, your behaviour etc.
You are likely to be in temporary accommodation for some time, and your support worker or case worker will help you make referrals to supported accommodation or help you prepare for independent living in your own place. This could be an offer of a permanent Council or Housing Association tenancy, or help to move into private rented accommodation.
If you move into supported housing first, this gives you priority for a Council or Housing Association tenancy when you are ready to move into your own place.
IF YOU ARE 16 OR 17
...and homeless, you should go to the Customer Services Centre (Library Square). For Contact Details see our A-Z. The Council has a duty to look into your situation and may have to find you emergency accommodation while they do this.
You should usually see a housing worker and one of the Young People's Accommodation Workers. They will want to contact your parents to check whether you can return, and will try and sort things out for you to go back home, even if this is for a short time, while you get help planning other housing (such as supported accommodation). If you can't go back they must find you a placement with Children's Social Care (Social Services) or temporary accommodation.
If it is not safe for you to return home you need to tell them why. They can't contact your parents without your permission, but you'll need to tell them why you don't want this to happen. However it may be easier if your parent(s) can go to Customer Services Centre with you, if you both agree.
Social Services will make a 'Child in Need' assessment with you, which should look at your current situation, your personal circumstances and what support you are likely to need. They may offer you the option of being "looked after" by Social Services, which can include suitable accommodation and support. The alternative is to be housed by Housing Services instead. You should be advised about these options and what this means longer term, so that you can make the right decision for you.
Castlegate can also talk to you about your options and explain your rights.
If you are put in temporary accommodation - either with Children's Social Care (Social Services) or Housing Services - you will also get support. This may be a social worker or housing support worker. They may make a referral into supported accommodation with you (see here). You'll also be given help to learn the skills you'll need to live independently. When you are ready, you'll be helped to plan your next move into more permanent housing.
If you are 16 or 17 and wanting to move from home out of choice, then speak to a worker at Castlegate who can look at your options with you, talk about the costs involved, any benefits that you may be entitled to, and how best to plan your move.
IF YOU ARE UNDER 16
If you are under 16 the law says you cannot live alone. A lot of help described in the Guide will be of no use - for example you cannot be referred to a hostel or supported accommodation, you cannot claim benefits or work full time. If things are bad at home it is usually better (and safer) to try and sort things out, rather than running away. Your main options are:
Get help sorting things out with your parents. This might be from someone else in your family or someone else you get support from. Otherwise Children's Services may be able to help.
Living with someone else - e.g. another family member or friend's parents. They should be able to claim Child Benefit and Tax Credits for you instead of your parent(s), to support you. You may or may not have your parents permission to live with someone else, but either way, Children's Services may become involved to sort out an agreement between you, your parents and your new carer.
The Local Authority have a duty to look after you if you are kicked out, or if things are too bad for you to live at home. If you are already getting help from a worker for example teacher, YOT worker, youth worker etc you can ask them to refer you to Children's Services. Otherwise you can refer yourself by ringing the Children's Social Care Team (For Contact Details see our A-Z - look under Customer Services Centre). You can also ask someone at Castlegate to make a referral. Children's Services will try and help sort things out at home, or in an emergency find you somewhere to stay.
Your options change when you are 16, so you may decide to stick it out until then, and in the meantime, find out all you can for the future. Some options also change when you officially leave school (at the end of June in Year 11). For example you could be referred to supported housing. Talk things through with a worker at Castlegate.
Running away is a big risk to take.
Try and sort things out before it gets that bad. However, if you do run away, you can contact Castlegate for support. If you are picked up by the police they will try and return you back home. If you have left because of violence or abuse, they should not return you until they have checked out your circumstances and decided whether it is safe for you to return or not. If it isn't safe, they should find somewhere for you to stay until they have looked into your situation properly.
You can also phone the Runaway Helpline - a confidential helpline which can give help and advice, or put you in contact with local services if you want. They can also pass on a message to your family to let them know you are safe, without telling them where you are. For Contact Details see our A-Z
OTHER ORGANISATIONS THAT CAN HELP
Both Castlegate and the Council's Housing Options Team help. For more information see here. For Contact Details see our A-Z
If you have been in care past your 16th birthday and are a care leaver you can get information, advice and support on housing and other issues until you reach 21 from the Pathway Team.
Peasholme Centre offers supported accommodation (see here) and also support to people who have accommodation but have housing problems. During the day they offer a range of workshops and activities. These include personal skills, money management, housing and benefits advice, and one to one support. You will need to be referred to Peasholme by another agency.
If you need help from a housing solicitor, for example because you are being taken to court or threatened with eviction, or because you want to challenge a decision made by the Council, contact Pheby and Co. Solicitors. If you are on benefits or a low income, you may be entitled to free advice under the Legal Aid scheme.
Key House offer a housing rights helpline for advice and information about your housing rights.
Salvation Army Early Intervention and Prevention Team work with people who are homeless or sleeping rough and those in danger of becoming homeless, e.g. by losing their tenancy. They may be able to sort out hostel accommodation in York, or elsewhere if there is a waiting list for York hostels until a vacancy comes up (this usually depends on you having a local connection). Long term they offer resettlement support. Salvation Army can provide emergency travel warrants to accommodation elsewhere - I.D and proof of need is required. They also give out food parcels - you'll usually need referring from another agency e.g. Castlegate, and you'll need access to cooking facilities.
For Contact Details see our A-Z
Carecent - provide a free breakfast, befriending, signposting and advice service. They also have a clothes store. Open Mon - Sat: 8.30-11.00am (last food 10.45am), including bank holidays (and Christmas Day, by invitation). Carecent is behind and to the left of the Central Methodist Church on St. Saviourgate.
The PMS Team at Monkgate offer GP and health services if you are homeless. See here.
Advisory Service for Squatters - offer phone advice and produce 'The Squatters Handbook' - currently £2. They also have information for squatters at squatter.org.uk and links to useful sites for travellers.
Shelter's website has information about your rights at shelter.org.uk/knowyourrights. They also run a 24 hour recorded helpline for advice about housing problems.
If you are homeless and from outside York
If you don't come from York and don't have a local connection such as work, family, etc. (get advice if you are not sure) it is likely that you will be assisted to return to your area (though no one will make you go back). Organisations in York will help you, but what they can offer will be limited. Ask for advice if you are fleeing violence, as you may not need a local connection.