Rent is often your most important payment after food.

Try to pay your rent each month even if you have other debts or money problems.

Find out about:

• what to do if you miss a rent payment

• help with energy bills and the cost of living

Get help with rent

You can usually get some help from benefits if you have a low income.

You could apply for:

• universal credit if you're working age

• housing benefit if you're pension age

If you already get benefits

Find out about:

• discretionary housing payments

• how to deal with a rent increase if you get benefits

You do not have to move out straight away

Your landlord must use the legal process if they want you to leave. They must:

• give you the right notice

• apply to court to end your tenancy

The whole process can take a few months.

Only court bailiffs can evict you from your home.

Find out about eviction notices from private landlords.

If you want to leave

Your tenancy does not end just because you move out.

You are still responsible for rent until it ends legally. You could lose your deposit if you move out without notice or agreement.

Find out how to end a:

• fixed term tenancy

• periodic rolling tenancy

Ask the council for help

Your local council should give you advice about how to find housing in your area.

You can get council advice if you cannot afford your rent even if you're not facing eviction.

You could ask for homeless help. For example, if you:

• get an eviction notice

• cannot afford the new rent

• are pressured to leave by your landlord

You could count as homeless if you cannot afford to live in your home.

Speak to the council before moving out

The council might say you're intentionally homeless if you give up somewhere you could have stayed. They might not give you longer term help.

This could happen even if you stay with friends or family before you ask the council for help.

What the council should do

The council should check if:

• the rent increase or notice is legal

• you can afford to stay there after the increase

• they can help you to stay in your home

For example, they could:

• help with DHPs to top up your income

• talk to your landlord about the rent increase

Apply for social housing

You could join the council's housing waiting list for social housing. Different councils have different rules about who can apply.

Council and housing association tenancies are usually more affordable than renting privately and you have more rights.

It can take a long time to get social housing, so it's unlikely to be a short term option.

Find out more about how to apply for council housing.