Housing for refugees

You can ask any council for homeless help.

This is called making a 'homeless application'.

The council must give advice if you are homeless or could be homeless in the next 8 weeks.

This includes if you:

• get a notice from your landlord

• are asked to leave by a host, friend, or a family member

• have to leave asylum support housing if you get refugee status

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The council must give you emergency housing if you could have a priority need.

You are in priority need if:

• you're pregnant

• children live with you

• the council decides you're vulnerable

• you're under 21 and were in care when you were under 18

You could count as vulnerable if you have:

• a disability, health condition or illness which affects your daily life

• trauma from your experiences in your home country or efforts to reach the UK

Find out more about who has a priority need.

If the council does not help

The council must give you a letter explaining why they will not help.

A housing adviser could help you to ask for a review.

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You could ask friends, churches, mosques, or in local shops.

Some councils and charities run schemes to help people find private rented housing.

Search for a scheme in your area using the Crisis Help to Rent database.

Right to rent checks

Private landlords will ask for proof that you have the 'right to rent'.

This means they have to do an immigration check.

You can show you have the right to rent with a 'share code' on GOV.UK.

More on right to rent checks.

Tenancy deposits and rent in advance

Private landlords usually ask for a deposit and rent in advance.

Ask the council if they can help.

You might also get help through a:

• refugee integration loan

• rent deposit scheme

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You rent council housing from local councils or housing associations.

It is sometimes called social housing.

Each council has their own waiting list. You might have to wait a long time.

Councils must give priority to certain groups of people. For example, homeless people.

You can apply for council housing even if you are not homeless.

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You could get support from these charities:

• British Red Cross

• Refugee Action

• Refugee Council

More on help from a refugee or migrant charity.

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