EU citizens: Help from the council if you're homeless

The council checks that you meet the immigration and residence conditions for help. This is sometimes called being 'eligible for assistance'.

Rules for EU citizens also apply to citizens of Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.

Irish citizens

You have the right to live in the UK without restrictions. The date you moved here will not usually matter.

You do not need settled or pre-settled status to get homeless help.

Settled status

You should have a Home Office email which confirms your status.

You should also be able to view and prove your immigration status on GOV.UK

Pre-settled status

You should have a Home Office email which confirms your status.

You should also be able to view and prove your immigration status on GOV.UK

Proof of pre-settled status may not be enough get for homeless help.

Working or self employed

You can get homeless help if you had 'worker or self employed status' under EU law.

The council looks at the number of hours you work and how much you earn.

You do not have to be in full time work or earn a set amount.

You could still qualify if, for example:

• you work part time hours

• you're on a zero hours contract

• you need to claim benefits to top up your income

Cannot work because of ill health

You can usually get homeless help if you've worked in the UK but cannot work at the moment because of illness or an accident.

This could include a longer term health condition or disability. You may need to show that you're likely to be able to work again in the foreseeable future.

Pregnant or recently given birth

You can get homeless help if you're on maternity leave from your job or self employment.

You can also get help if you have to give up your job or looking for work in the late stages of pregnancy or because you've given birth recently.

Looking for work

You could still qualify for help if you lose your job or become unemployed in the UK.

But you should register with the jobcentre and start looking for work as soon as you can.

Children in school

You might qualify for help if a child who lives with you is at school in the UK.

Your child must have lived in the UK while you or their other parent was an EU worker. You do not need to be working now.

From 2 February 2023 this also applies if you or the other parent were self employed.

Family members of EU citizens

You should qualify for homeless help if you have:

• settled status under the EU settlement scheme

• pre-settled status and can show you meet the extra conditions for EU citizens with pre-settled status

You should also qualify if you do not meet the extra conditions but are a family member of an EU citizen who qualifies for homeless help.

You do not have to be an EU citizen yourself.

If your EU settlement application is being processed

You have temporary protection while the Home Office processes your application.

You may still be able to get homeless help if you can show you:

• were legally resident in the UK by 31 December 2020

• applied to the EU settlement scheme by 30 June 2021

You need to show that you meet one of the extra pre-settled status conditions unless you can show that you've lived here legally and continuously for at least 5 years.

Need immigration advice?

Shelter cannot provide immigration advice but there are other charities who could help.

Citizens Advice can help with immigration problems or refer you to a specialist adviser. You can also find immigration advice on their website.

The AIRE Centre has advice on rights for European citizens.

Advice in other languages

Roma Support Group offers phone appointments for Roma families and individuals. Advice in Polish, Romanian and Slovak.

Settled provide advice and support to EU citizens who have made a home in the UK. Advice in Bulgarian, Hungarian, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Slovak and Spanish.