Advice about homelessness

Homelessness advice leaflets

The council is committed to helping you keep your home if at all possible or, if not, to advise and guide you through getting a new home. If you're unable to keep your home, we'll try and find you somewhere to stay temporarily while we look at whether we'll be able to find you somewhere to stay permanently.

This would be the case if you have children that live with you, or if you're pregnant or are vulnerable. We'll also be able to help if you have lost your home because of a fire or if your home has been flooded and is not habitable.

Advice and assistance from organisations listed below are free and confidential. We won't tell anyone you have been to seek advice unless it is with your permission. If you think you may soon become homeless, don't wait - contact us as soon as you can or contact the advice agencies below. The earlier you do, the more choices we may be able to give you to help sort things out.

For anyone to fully assess your situation, advice agencies will need some information from you. To speed up the process it would be useful if you could bring the following information with you:

• your tenancy agreement (if you have one)
• any notices or letters given to you from your landlord
• contact details of the people you've been living with
• proof of ID for yourself and all members of your household
• passport, driver's license or birth certificate
• proof of your household's income (wage slips or proof of your Benefit entitlement including tax credits)

If you can't get all of these documents before you come in don't worry, it just might take us longer to provide you with full advice. If you have any questions, you can always call us before you come in.

Directory of services ^{(PDF, 675kb)}

You may find the following leaflets useful in helping you.

General guidance and advice

• help with how to claim Universal Credit ^{(PDF, 97kb)}
• London winter shelter list 2018-19 ^{(PDF, 996kb)}
• Homelessness Reduction Act - what it means for you ^{(PDF, 104kb)}
• homelessness - how we can help ^{(PDF, 111kb)}
• know your housing - homelessness advice ^{(PDF, 103kb)}
• get a place to stay if you are homeless ^{(PDF, 101kb)}
• Pan-London housing advice ^{(PDF, 304kb)}
• Find out about personal housing plans ^{(PDF, 98kb)}

Particular homelessness situations

• advice for those who are homeless with substance misuse issues ^{(PDF, 87kb)}
• homeless when released from prison ^{(PDF, 109kb)}
• suffering a mental illness or impairment and threatened with homelessness ^{(PDF, 97kb)}
• homeless ex armed forces ^{(PDF, 114kb)}
• help and housing for care leavers ^{(PDF, 115kb)}
• domestic abuse and homelessness ^{(PDF, 108kb)}
• options and facilities for older people ^{(PDF, 105kb)}
• advice about evictions and the ending of a tenancy ^{(PDF, 55kb)}
• advice on parental eviction - leaving the home of your family and friends ^{(PDF, 96kb)}
• non-violent relationship breakdown housing advice ^{(PDF, 95kb)}
• homeless after leaving hospital leaflet ^{(PDF, 101kb)}
• immigration and residence restrictions leaflet ^{(PDF, 118kb)}
• homelessness advice for young people ^{(PDF, 132kb)}
• homelessness in Gypsies and Travellers communities ^{(PDF, 102kb)}
• housing and disabled people your rights social housing easy read ^{(PDF, 1mb)}
• housing and disabled people your rights private renting easy read ^{(PDF, 947kb)}
• help if you're homeless and pregnant ^{(PDF, 96kb)}

Reviews, complaints and appeals

• homelessness reviews ^{(PDF, 638kb)}

If you've looked at these but still feel you could become homeless, contact us.

Page last updated: 05 January 2024