You have a right to emergency housing if the council think you might:

• be legally homeless

• have a priority need

• meet immigration conditions

The council must give you emergency housing while they look into your situation. They also must help you with a personal housing plan.

The council does not have to give you emergency housing until you are legally homeless. They must still give you help and advice if you are likely to be homeless within 8 weeks.

Longer term housing

You have a right to longer term housing if the council accepts that you:

• have a priority need

• meet immigration conditions

• are legally homeless and this is not your fault

This is called the main housing duty.

A council may send you to a different council if you do not have any links to their area and have a local connection somewhere else.

You cannot be sent to a different council if you'd be at risk of domestic abuse or other violence in that area.

Temporary housing and final offers

You might have to live in temporary housing until the council makes a final offer of housing.

The council's decision letter

The council must give you a letter that says if they will give you longer term housing.

They have to look into your situation properly and help you with a personal housing plan. This takes at least 8 weeks.

The letter must say why if the council decides not to give you longer term housing.

Ask for a review

You have 3 weeks to ask for a review if you:

• disagree with the council's decision

• think an offer of temporary or longer term housing is not suitable

What is intentional homelessness?

You may hear the council talk about intentional homelessness.

This means the council thinks you did something to lose your home, for example:

• you were evicted for antisocial or criminal behaviour

• you did not pay the rent or mortgage when you could afford to

• you left early or gave up your home when you could have stayed

The council does not have to give you longer term housing if they decide you made yourself homeless.

If the council decides that you have a priority need but are intentionally homeless they must still give you temporary housing for a reasonable time - usually a few weeks.

Find out how to avoid being intentionally homeless.