Homeless? What help is available?

Help if you are homeless or about to lose your home

This page explains how we can help you if you are homeless or about to lose your home.

If you need help now

Contact the Housing Options and Wellbeing Team as soon as possible if:

• You have nowhere to stay
• You might have to nowhere to stay within 56 days

Contact details are at the bottom of this page

What we will do

We will look into your situation and decide what help we can give you. We will check:

• if you are homeless or about to become homeless
• if you are entitled to help, this depends on your nationality and immigration status
• if you have a priority need(see below)
• why you became homeless
• if you have a local connection

We will give you free advice about:

• keeping your home
• finding somewhere else to live
• your housing rights

What you need to do

To get help from us you need to:

• contact us as early as possible
• give us honest and complete information
• tell us about any changes (such pregnancy, new job, new address)
• work with us to follow your action plan.

If you give us wrong information, or do not tell us about changes, it is a criminal offence, and you could be fined.

Are you homeless?

You may be homeless if:

• you have nowhere to stay
• you cannot get into your home
• you have a home, but it is not reasonable or safe for you to stay there
• you are experiencing domestic abuse in your home

You may be at risk of homelessness if you are likely to lose your home within 56 days.

Help to stop you becoming homeless (Prevention)

If you are at risk of homelessness and eligible (see below), we will try to help you to stay in your home.

If you cannot stay, we will help you find somewhere else to live. We will:

• assess your housing and support needs
• agree a personalised housing plan (PHP),which sets out what we will do and what you need to do.

Help if you are already homeless (Relief)

If you are already homeless and eligible (see below), we will try to help you find somewhere to live.

You will still need to look yourself.

We will:

• assess your housing needs
• agree a personalised housing plan (PHP),which sets out what we will do and what you need to do.

Your personalised housing plan (PHP)

We will aim to agree a plan with you. This will include:

• what we will do to help you
• what you must do to help yourself.

You must follow the plan. If you refuse to cooperate, we may stop helping you.

Are you eligible for help?

Most British citizens can get help. People from abroad who have 'recourse to public funds' are eligible.

Some people cannot get help, for example:

• people with a student or tourist visa
• asylum seekers
• anyone from abroad who has a 'no recourse to public funds' condition

If you are not eligible, we can only give you advice and information.

Priority Need

Some people get extra help with housing because of their situation. This is called having a "priority need".

You may have a priority need if:

• You have children living with you
• Someone in your household is pregnant
• You were in care and are now under 21
• You are homeless due to domestic abuse
• You lost your home due to a fire or flood

You may also have a priority need if you, or someone in your household is vulnerable, for example because of:

• A serious physical or mental health problem
• A disability
• Problems linked to old age

Emergency Accommodation

We may offer you emergency housing if:

• you are homeless, and
• eligible, and
• You have a priority need

If offered emergency housing:

• You may be placed anywhere in Lewes District, Eastbourne or other areas where accommodation is available
• You must follow the rules and pay any charges
• You can only take limited belongings
• Pets are only allowed in some accommodation

If you refuse an offer or are evicted for breaking the rules we may not offer further emergency housing.

Intentional homelessness

You may be seen as intentionally homeless if you lost your home because of your own actions, for example:

• not paying rent when you could afford it
• damaging your home
• causing problems with neighbours
• leaving a home you could have stayed in

If this applies, the help we off you will be limited.

Local connection

We may send your case to another council if:

• you have no local connection with us and,
• do have a local connection with another council.

You may have a connection if you:

• have lived in an area
• work there
• have close family there

We will not send you somewhere you are at risk of violence.

The main housing duty (longer-term help)

You may get longer-term help if:

• you are homeless, and
• eligible, and
• in priority need, and
• not intentionally homeless

If this applies, we will provide temporary accommodation until you find a new home.

If you are evicted from your temporary accommodation, we will no longer be able to help you with housing.

Offers of housing

At any stage you may be offered housing, including private rented accommodation.

If you refuse, we may stop helping you.

If you think an offer is not suitable you may be able to ask for a review.

Social Housing (Council and Housing Association) in Lewes and Eastbourne

Note:

• there is very high demand for social housing
• waiting times are long - can be years
• social housing is not a quick solution if you are homeless now.
• You will need to look for private rented housing

For more information on the register for social housing see Apply for the housing register 

How do I get help?

If you are homeless, or about to lose your home:

Online application form: Housing solutions assessment form

Or

Lewes & Eastbourne Councils

Tel: 01273 471600 or 01323 410000

Email: [email protected]

Help finding a new home leaflet: Looking for somewhere to live (PDF, 274 KB)