Housing is only suitable if you can pay your rent and other reasonable living costs.

This means important things like food, travel, clothing and other bills.

If you already live there

Temporary housing might become unsuitable if something changes or gets worse.

For example:

• you lose your job and cannot afford the rent

• your rent goes up and you cannot afford the increase

Find out what to do about unsuitable temporary accommodation.

Income and spending

The council look at this carefully.

You usually need to show:

• that you get or have applied for benefits

• a detailed income and spending statement

An adviser can help with this or you could use the StepChange budget planner.

You might have to explain any spending that seems high. For example, if you get taxis a lot because you're disabled. Or because it's cheaper than bus fares for the whole family.

Accept the offer even if you want a review

The council could stop helping if you refuse a place or do not stay there.

This applies to temporary accommodation and final offers of longer term housing.

You could ask to delay moving until after the review.