Hostels and nightshelters

This content applies to England only.

Housing laws vary between England and Scotland. This page applies to England only. Get advice relating to Scotland

If you need a place for the night, you may be able to stay in an emergency hostel or nightshelter. They are usually run by housing associations, charities or the local council.

How Shelter can help you

Many people think Shelter has hostels for homeless people. This is not true. However, we may be able to arrange a place in a hostel for you, even if you have already been turned away. We have offices all over England and Scotland and work closely with local hostels and nightshelters. We have close links with similar organisations in Wales and Northern Ireland and run a free helpline that covers the whole of the UK. Our advisers can also help if you are homeless because of a legal problem. We may be able to stop an eviction or represent you in court if the council won't help you. You don't have to be sleeping on the streets to contact us and all of our services are free, independent and confidential.

How to get a place

You can get details of hostels and nightshelters in your area from an advice centre, the council or Shelter's free national helpline. You can also find information about hostels and shelters that might be available in your area on the Homeless UK website.

In some areas, it is difficult to get into an emergency hostel or nightshelter because there are not enough spaces for the number of people who need them. Some have waiting lists or will only take people who have been sent there by:

• the local council
• an advice agency like Shelter
• day centres for homeless people
• outreach teams working with people who are sleeping on the street

Use the Advice Services Directory to find an agency that can put your name forward or get you on the waiting list. This usually increases your chances of getting a place.

A few hostels and nightshelters will accept people at the door. These are sometimes called 'direct access' hostels. But it's best to telephone first to check that they have room. You might be turned away if you arrive when the hostel is full. You should also check whether they have any rules about who can stay there. For example, some hostels only help certain groups of people, such as:

• single young people
• people with drug or alcohol addictions
• people with mental health problems
• people from a particular cultural or religious background
• people who have been sleeping on the streets for a long time

A specialist hostel may be able to help with problems that are making your housing situation worse. An advice centre can tell you whether there are any specialist hostels in your area and what kind of problems they can help with.

What is the accommodation like?

Not all emergency hostels and nightshelters are the same. Some are of a very high standard but some are not. Many hostels and nightshelters have strict rules. Some close during the day and you might have to be in quite early at night. You may not be able to have visitors, and alcohol and drugs are usually banned. If you break the rules of the hostel, you can be evicted very easily. If this happens, it could make it more difficult for you to find other emergency housing. Talk to one of the hostel workers if you are having problems or get independent advice from Shelter.

Nightshelters

Most nightshelters are free. These are usually very basic but can provide a place to stay for a few nights and often some food. Some areas only have nightshelters that are open during the winter, usually from December to March. They are sometimes called cold weather shelters. Many nightshelters are set up temporarily in churches, offices or schools that aren't being used. Your local advice centre is the best place to go if you need to find one in your area.

Hostels

Hostels are usually less basic and will ask you to pay. In some places you may get your own room but in most you will have to share a bedroom with someone of the same sex. Most hostels don't accept couples. They may have shared facilities such as kitchens and bathrooms. Some hostels provide meals but you usually have to pay for them.

How much does it cost?

Nightshelters are usually free but hostels are not. The rent in hostels can be quite high and you may also have to pay extra for things like laundry or meals.

However, most hostels will accept people without any money as long as you can claim benefits to pay for the accommodation. They can check what you are entitled to and help you with the claim forms. Housing benefit may not cover all the rent and won't cover any extra services such as cleaning or meals. So you may have to use part of your income support, jobseekers allowance or a training allowance to pay for anything that isn't covered.

If you can't claim any benefits at all (for example, because you have come from abroad), get advice. You may be able to get help from social services instead.

How long can you stay?

The length of time you will be able to stay can vary. Most hostels can house you for a few nights but some may let you stay for a few months. Most hostels will try to help you find somewhere more permanent before you have to leave. They may be able to help you get a place in a longer-term hostel or special 'move on' accommodation for people who aren't ready to live on their own yet.