Support for 16 and 17 year olds

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 are homeless and are aged 16 or 17, you might be entitled to help from social services. If you used to be in care, the rules are different but you are still entitled to help.

Many young people have problems getting help from the council or are sent from one department to another without getting help. If this happens, contact your local housing aid centre or citizens advice bureau immediately. An adviser can help you deal with the council and may be able to get you the help you need. Use our directory to find one near you.

Who does social services have to help?

Social services don't have to help all homeless people who are 16 or 17 but they do have to look into your situation to check what help you are entitled to. They can't just turn you away or tell you to go to the housing department. You are probably entitled to housing and/or financial support from social services if you are under 18 and:

• you have been in care in the past, or
• you are disabled, or
• you are classed as being a 'child in need'

If you are not in one of these groups, you should make a homelessness application if you have nowhere to live.

Care leavers

Care leavers who are under 18 and have spent a total of at least 13 weeks in care since the age of 14 are entitled to accommodation and financial support from social services. Social services has to house you until you turn 18 and should provide ongoing help until you turn 21. If you are at college or university full time, this can be extended until your 24th birthday (or until your course ends, if that happens first). See the section on social services and care leavers for information about the help you should receive. In most cases, if you go to the housing department for help, it will probably ask social services to help you.

Disabled young people

If you are disabled and are homeless or likely to become homeless you should automatically be accepted as a child in need and be offered help by social services. In most cases, the housing department also has a responsibility to help you, so the two departments should work together to help you.

Children in need

You should be considered to be a 'child in need' if you need help to manage the things that affect your health and development. This might be the case if:

• you don't have money for food
• you don't have anywhere to live
• you are having problems that affect your health or education
• you are living with a violent person

The housing department will probably also have a responsibility to help you, because 16 and 17 year olds who have never been in care are automatically in priority need. The two departments should work together to help you. If they disagree about which department is responsible for you, get advice immediately.

How do I get help?

If you need to ask social services for help, you might want to get advice from a housing aid centre or citizens advice bureau first. Use our directory to find one in your area. They may be able to tell you what sort of help social services normally provide in your area and give you an idea of what you can expect. Housing aid centres and citizens advice bureaux are free and whatever you say is usually just between you and the adviser you speak to. They won't contact anyone else about your situation unless you agree to it or you are in danger.

Alternatively, you can go directly to social services and tell them that you need help because you are homeless. Explain how your housing problems are affecting your health or development. For example:

• sleeping on the streets can damage your health
• having nowhere to live could lead to stress or depression
• it will be harder to get or keep a job if you don't have a stable home
• studying will be very difficult
• any medical problems you already have may get worse
• if you have problems with drugs or alcohol it's harder to sort yourself out

You might also need help because of problems in your relationship with your parents. It could be that they want you to leave or that you want to leave and you are likely to be homeless very soon.

What help can I expect?

The law doesn't say exactly what help social services should give you and different councils have different rules. It will depend on your personal situation, what is available in your area and how much it costs. You should be given a range of services to help you with any problems you are having. If you are homeless this could include:

• accommodation (ranging from a shared room in a hostel to your own flat)
• money for a deposit and rent in advance
• help with finding training or employment
• help with drug or alcohol problems
• friendship and support
• counselling and/or help with any other problems you have

Do social services have to listen to what I think I need?

Social services have to take your wishes into account when they decide what kind of accommodation to give you. If you are 16 or over your wishes cannot be overruled by your parent(s) and social services cannot force you to go back home. Social services should also consider your gender and your ethnic and religious background when deciding how to help you. However, it's important to be realistic, as the type of accommodation you may get will depend on what is available in your area.

What if social services won't help me?

You may not be offered the kind of accommodation or services you need. You can make a complaint if:

• the accommodation and services you are offered are not suitable
• social services refuses to look into your situation to check whether you are entitled to help

Every council will have a complaints procedure and there are also legal rules about how complaints should be dealt with. Get advice from a housing aid centre, citizens advice bureau or other local advice centre before making a complaint, as the complaints procedure can be complicated. Use the Advice Services Directory to find agencies in your area.