Finding yourself with nowhere to live or the risk of being made homeless is both frightening and stressful. The Council’s Housing Options Team are here to help to prevent your homelessness so you can avoid some of the worry of this difficult situation and find a way forward.
Being homeless doesn't always mean you are living rough or sleeping on the streets. You may be homeless or at risk of being homeless if you are:
staying between friends and family
struggling to pay your rent or mortgage
being asked to leave by your family or landlord
experiencing domestic violence, abuse or coercive control
sleeping on the streets
living in a home that is not suitable for your needs.
Let us know as early as possible
It is really important to let us know that you are threatened with homelessness as soon as you can so our team can offer help and intervene as early as possible.
If you are already homeless you should make contact with the Council who will assess whether the Council can assist, or refer you to another Council or agency.
You will need to have documentation ready so we can verify whether you are eligible and will be discussed with you when make an appointment. This may include:
Proof of ID
Proof of last address
Reason for homelessness
You can make an appointment with our Housing Options Advisor
We can help you to make a plan (this is called a Personal Housing Plan) to remain in your home or find a new one. This plan may include, understanding your legal rights, talking to your landlord, help with budgeting and applying for housing.
We can offer help to those who are eligible. This means you are able to get assistance from the public welfare system. If you are at risk of being homeless you do not need to have a local connection, but if you are already homeless you do need one. This means that you have:
lived in Gedling for 6 of the last 12 months
lived in Gedling for 3 of the last 5 years
permanent employment in Gedling
immediate family who have lived in Gedling for 5 years, or
have another special reason that you would need to be in the area.
This duty requires specified public authorities from 1 October 2018 to notify a Housing authority of service users they consider may be homeless or threatened with homelessness (it is likely they will become homeless within 56 days). The public authorities which are subject to the duty to refer are specified in the Homelessness (Review Procedure) Regulations 2018.
The public services included in the duty are:
Prisons
Young Offender Institutions & Youth Offending Teams
Hospital Emergency Departments & inpatient care
Jobcentre Plus
Social Services Authorities
Secretary of State for Defence
Probation Services.
Before making a referral, a public authority must have consent to make the referral and consent from the individual that their contact details can be shared so that the housing authority can contact them.
Referrals can be made via email, along with any supporting and additional documentation to HousingNeeds@gedling.gov.uk
If you are experiencing domestic abuse you don't need a local connection to the council you want to get help from. It is important that you approach a council in an area where you will be safe. If it is safe for you to stay in Gedling we may be able to make you current home more secure through the council’s Sanctuary Scheme.
The Council works with Juno Women’s Aid to support people experiencing domestic abuse. Further information on the support they can provide can be found at: Juno - Juno Women's Aid or if you need urgent advice you can call them free on: 0808 800 0340
We particularly urge privately rented tenants experiencing problems with their tenancy to seek help at the earliest opportunity. Tenants become homeless for a range of reasons including difficulties in paying rent on time, disputes over the condition of a property and notice being served on them to leave their home.
Finding a new home will depend on:
what you can afford
how quickly you need your new home
where you want to live
how long you want to be there
We may stop working with you if we lose contact, you don't complete the actions in your plan, or you refuse an offer of suitable housing.
Where the Council does accept a duty to rehouse you and your family, you will receive one offer only, of either social or private rented accommodation, and this can be anywhere within the Borough, or even outside of the Borough. For family applications the offer could be a flat, and not a house.
If you are already in receipt of Housing Benefit, Universal Credit including the housing element or Council Tax Reduction and are still experiencing financial hardship, extra help may be available.
The Council may be able to also assist you with deposits or rent in advance to move into more affordable accommodation.
If you are calling about someone who is sleeping rough, on the streets, or in a shop doorway, or you yourself are sleeping rough, we will be able to send support straight to you through the Framework Street Outreach Team. They can be contacted direct on 0800 066 5356
Emergencies
For emergency homelessness situations outside of normal office hours, please call 0800 096 0306.
Visit the Shelter website for more information on the help that councils should provide t people at risk of homelessness.
