Homeless help from the council
Who can get homeless help
Ask for homeless help from the council if you:
do not have a long term home
get a notice from your landlord
are at risk of domestic abuse or other violence in your home
cannot live in your home because of a disability or health problem
live in very bad housing conditions, like overcrowding, serious damp or disrepair
cannot afford to pay for food and other basic things after paying your rent or mortgage
Most people can get some help from the council's homeless team.
Sometimes the council has to find you somewhere to stay straight away.
If you have 'no recourse to public funds'
You can only get general advice if you do not meet immigration conditions.
Families with no recourse to public funds might get some help from social services. Social services should keep children safe and support families.
Find out about options for single people with no recourse to public funds.
If you do not have a home
Ask the council for homeless help if you are:
on the streets
at a night shelter or an emergency hostel
staying with different friends or family to avoid being on the streets
Staying with different people is sometimes called sofa surfing.
You can also ask for homeless help if you live in a caravan or on a boat and have nowhere to park or moor.
Find out how to get into a night shelter or hostel if you're on the streets.
If you get an eviction notice from your landlord
Ask the council for homeless help as soon as your landlord gives you a notice to move out.
The homeless team should help even if you are a council tenant.
You do not usually have to to leave when the notice ends. Your landlord has to get a court order and ask the court for bailiffs to evict you.
Section 21 eviction notices
You're threatened with homelessness if you have a valid section 21 notice that ends in the next 8 weeks.
The council should take steps to stop you becoming homeless and help with a personal housing plan.
The council might say you should stay in your home until either:
the court tells you to leave
an eviction takes place
This is because it can take a few months to be evicted.
Find out more about council help after a section 21 notice.
The council should not ask you to stay if your home is:
unsafe because of disrepair or risk of violence
not affordable
Not affordable means you cannot pay for basics like food or heating after paying your rent.
Other notices
Ask the council for help if you have a different notice, for example a section 8 notice.
Sometimes the council might not help until the court makes a possession order.
The notice you get depends on what tenancy you have.
Use our tenancy checker if you're not sure what kind of tenancy you have
If you live with your landlord
Your landlord does not need to go to court to evict you if you are a lodger.
They can ask you to leave when your lodger's agreement or notice ends.
Ask the council for help if you need to leave in the next 8 weeks.
If you're asked to leave by family or friends
Ask the council for help if your relative or friend asks you to leave.
The council might ask your family or friend:
if you can stay longer
for a letter that says you must leave
If you cannot live in your home because of a disability or health problem
Ask the council for help if you cannot live in your home because of a serious health problem or a disability.
This could be, for example, if you or someone you live with:
uses a wheelchair and there are problems with access
needs a separate bedroom for an overnight carer
If you're at risk of domestic abuse or violence
You are homeless if you're at risk of domestic abuse or violence in your home.
You can ask for homeless help even if you do not move out.
Domestic abuse from your partner, ex partner, or a different family member can be:
physical
financial
psychological or emotional
It can be domestic abuse even if you do not live together.
The council should not contact the person who has been violent or abusive towards you or do anything that could put you at risk.
Find out more about emergency housing help if you're at risk of domestic abuse.
If you live in overcrowded or bad housing conditions
You can ask the council for homeless help if your home:
is very overcrowded
puts you at serious risk because of poor conditions
You could ask your GP or other health professional to write to the council about how your housing conditions affect you. An environmental health report could also help.
If you cannot afford your rent or mortgage
You can ask for homeless help if you cannot pay for things like food, heating and travel to work or school after paying your rent or mortgage.
This might be because of a change in your situation. For example, your income has gone down or your rent has gone up.
Find out more about:
If the homeless team will not help
The council must give you a letter that explains why you cannot get help.
You can ask for a review within 3 weeks if you think they have got things wrong.
Social services might help if you're a homeless family with 'no recourse to public funds'.
Shelter and Mencap have an easy read guide on your rights if councils will not help.
Last updated: 14 August 2025
