Preparing to leave care

This content applies to England only.

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

When you leave care you are entitled to ongoing help from social services. They may be able to provide financial support, help to find a place of your own, or provide accommodation for you. You can also get help from the housing department if you become homeless.

Does it matter how long I was in care for?

Yes. The information on this page explains the help you can get if you leave care on or after 1 October 2001 and spent a total of at least 13 weeks in care since the age of 14. The 13 weeks doesn't have to be all in one go. Any time that you have spent being looked after by a charity, the local council, a health authority, children's home or with foster parents counts.

If you left care before 1 October 2001 or you spent less than 13 weeks in care, you are still entitled to help but the rules are different. If you are in one of these situations, get advice. An adviser can check what help you are entitled to and may be able to help you find a place to live. Use the advice services directory to find an advice centre in your area.

If you are under 16 and are thinking of leaving care, your rights are very different because you are still considered to be a child. If you are having serious problems where you are living or are experiencing violence, abuse or bullying, you may want to leave straight away. If you are in this situation, contact Childline on 0800 1111. Childline advisers can help with lots of different problems - not just housing - and are available 24 hours a day.

What should I do before I leave care?

People who have left care are more likely to become homeless than other young people but being well prepared can reduce the risk. Social services have a legal duty to help you and can make it easier to become independent. It's worth taking advantage of all the help you may be able to get.

Talk to your personal adviser

As part of your leaving care package, social services has to give you a personal adviser. It is her/his job to assess what help you will need to enable you to live independently. This could include:

• helping you find and keep somewhere to live
• asking the housing department of the council to help you
• helping you apply for a grant or loan to help cover your housing costs
• putting you in contact with specialist agencies that help young people
• making sure you can deal with the practicalities of living independently, such as managing your money and cooking your own meals.

Put together a pathway plan

You and your adviser should put together a pathway plan setting out what help and support you will need to cope with life after you leave. This should include housing, financial support, life skills such as cooking and budgeting, education, training, employment and any special support you need. When you leave, your adviser should keep in touch (at least until you turn 21) and should go over your pathway plan with you to see how you are getting on. Your pathway plan should be updated regularly to take your progress into account.

Find out about your rights

If you are not happy with the help your personal adviser is giving you, use the advice services directory to find an independent adviser in your area. S/he can check whether social services are providing the support you are entitled to. 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.

Work out your finances

The housing options you have will depend on how much money you have. You need to work out what you can realistically afford. Think about how much it will cost to get your own place and how you will pay for it. Your personal adviser should help you with this. Bear in mind the following:

• Most care leavers can't get housing benefit until they turn 18.
• If you rent from a private landlord you normally have to pay one month's rent as a deposit and one month's rent in advance before you move in.
• You will have to pay for gas, electricity, water and phone. You may have to pay to have these services connected and you may be asked for a deposit.
• You will need money for food, clothing and travel expenses.
• You may need furniture and other household items.

If you left care on or after 1 October 2001 and are still under 18, social services is still responsible for supporting you financially. This means that they have to ensure that you have enough money for the things you need, including rent and food. You probably won't be able to get accommodation from the housing department or claim benefits until you turn 18. So unless you have a well-paid job, the social services department is likely to be your only source of income.

If you will be over 18 when you leave, try to have some savings set aside for emergencies. If you move into somewhere that you can't really afford, you could run into financial problems. If you don't pay the rent, you can be evicted and if you don't have enough money for the bills, your services could be cut off. Borrowing money isn't usually a good idea as it could leave you with debts that are difficult to pay off.

Find a place to live before you leave

It's a good idea to find somewhere to live before you leave care - your personal adviser should help you do this. Otherwise you may find yourself with nowhere to stay, no money and few housing options. Although you may be able to stay with family and friends for a few days, this can be stressful and you may start to feel that you are getting in the way. So try to find somewhere you can stay for at least the first few months. Sleeping on the streets is dangerous and can damage your health, so it should be avoided.

If you plan to claim housing benefit when you move in, you can find out how much of the rent it will pay for by getting a pre-tenancy determination. You will have to pay for everything that housing benefit doesn't cover yourself.

What if I become homeless after I leave care?

Even with the best-laid plans, care leavers are more likely to become homeless than other young people. If this happens to you, talk to your personal adviser as soon as you can, or use the advice services directory to find a citizens advice bureau or housing aid centre in your area. They may be able to help you find emergency accommodation while you look into your longer term options. They can also check what help you are entitled to. This usually depends on your age and personal circumstances.

If you are under 18, social services is still responsible for you. If you go to the housing department for help, it will probably ask social services to help you.

If you are aged 18 to 21, you can get help from both departments. You will automatically be classed as being in priority need, so the housing department should help you find a place to live, at least temporarily. Social services can help you by providing support and help with training and education.

Some older care leavers can get accommodation from the housing department if they can show that they are in priority need. This may be the case if you are vulnerable as a result of having been in care - for example, if you haven't had a stable home since you left care, or you have slept on the streets in the past. Or you may be in priority need for other reasons, for example, if you have children, are pregnant or have physical or mental health problems.

Where can I get advice?

Download our free guide to find out more about your rights and options.

The rules about what help you are entitled to and which department of the council has to provide it will depend on your age and your personal circumstances. Use our advice services directory to find your local Shelter advice centre or Citizens Advice. They can explain your rights and give you an idea of what help social services are likely to give you if you ask them for help.