Housing advice if you are 16 or 17
I’m at risk of being homeless
If you think you might have nowhere to live, call the Single Point of Advice (SPOA). They can help you speak to a social worker from Children’s Services.
- Telephone: 01323 464222
SPOA is open Monday to Thursday, 8.30 am to 5 pm, and Friday, 8.30 am to 4.30 pm.
What you tell us will be confidential. We will only share it if we think you are at risk or in danger.
Emergency help
If you cannot go home and it is the weekend or nighttime, try to stay with a friend or family member.
If there is an emergency, you can call the East Sussex Emergency Duty Service:
- Telephone: 01273 335 905
A social worker will call you back and tell you what to do next.
Sorting things out with your parents
When you contact Children’s Services, we will try to help you talk things through with your parents. This is called mediation. It can help when things are difficult at home.
Living with other family members
If you cannot go home, we might try to help you live with another family member if it is safe.
If you cannot go home or live with family
You might need to decide if you want to be "looked after" by Children’s Services or not. If you are looked after, you will get lots of help and support, but you do not have to choose this. You can still get help from us.
What if I choose to be looked after?
You will get a social worker to help and support you.
You will make a “Pathway plan” together. This plan will help you:
- find somewhere to live
- get help for your mental health or school
- get other support, like the Substance Misuse Team
Will I get benefits?
You will not get benefits if you are looked after, unless you are:
- a young parent
- have a disability or are unwell
Children’s Services will give you money for what you need.
You will not get Housing Benefit until you are 18, even if you are:
- a single parent
- have a disability or are unwell
- living in supported accommodation
- living in semi-independent accommodation (in special cases)
Where will I live if I choose to be looked after?
We will find you somewhere safe to live. This could be:
- with a foster carer
- with a supported lodgings provider
- in supported accommodation
- in semi-independent accommodation (in special cases)
What if I choose not to be looked after?
You will still get support. You will get a social worker who will help you make a support plan.
This plan will include:
- finding somewhere to live
- help with applying for benefits
- help to get other services, like the Substance Misuse Team
Where will I live if I choose not to be looked after?
We will find you a place to live that suits your needs. This could be:
- with a supported lodgings provider
- in supported accommodation
- in semi-independent accommodation (in special cases)
Housing advice if you are 18 or over
I’m 18 or over and I’ve got nowhere to live – where can I go for help?
If you are 18 or older and have no place to live, you can get help. You should call the housing team at your local council. They can help you find a place to stay. You can contact them from Monday to Friday, 9 am – 5 pm.
To find the nearest office, visit the East Sussex County Council website.
The Housing Options Team can also send you to BHT Sussex for more help with housing.
For more information, please visit the BHT Sussex website.
Housing support for disabled or vulnerable adults
Find out about supported housing for working-age adults with a physical or learning disability, mental health problems, or a condition that makes them vulnerable, and temporary accommodation with on-site support if you
- are at risk of/fleeing domestic abuse
- have experienced/are experiencing mental health issues
- are a young person who is pregnant or has a dependent child
- are aged over 18, single, homeless, or at risk of homelessness, and require support to develop your tenancy sustainment skills
Sheltered housing schemes (run by local district or borough councils or housing associations) support adults with disabilities.
Find a place to live
Moving out of your family home is a big change. It can cost a lot of money and might take some time to find somewhere to live.
Renting
If you rent a room, flat, or house, you pay money every month to the person who owns it (the landlord) or to an estate agent. You can look for places to rent by:
- Going to local estate agents
- Reading local newspapers
- Checking these websites: Rightmove, Friday-Ad, Zoopla, PrimeLocation, OnTheMarket
Getting help to pay rent
If you lived in special supported housing before and got help with your rent, you may get help to pay for a room in a shared house or flat until you turn 35.
You can only get help to pay for your own one-bedroom flat if:
- You are a care leader and are under 25
- You live with a partner
- You have a serious disability
- You look after a child
If you have not got housing benefits before, you might get Universal Credit. This can give you money to help pay for your home. To see if you can get Universal Credit or need help to apply, use these links:
- Citizens Advice Help to Claim Service
- UK - Universal Credit Eligibility
- advicelocal - Find an advisor
The amount of help you get depends on where you live. It is set by something called Local Housing Allowance rates. You can find out how much you will get using the Local Housing Allowance tool on the Direct Gov website.
Social Housing (Council Houses)
Social housing, sometimes called ‘council’ housing, is cheaper for people with lower incomes. The council or groups called housing associations give people these homes.
You might have to wait a long time to get social housing because lots of people want it. How long you wait depends on where you live and your situation. For example, in Hastings, someone waiting for a one-bedroom flat might wait about 16 months.
To find out how long you might wait and how to sign up, contact your local housing team.
Buying a flat or house
If you are thinking about buying a property, talk to your bank, financial adviser, or estate agent about how you will pay back the mortgage.
Leaving home
Having your own place and not having parents telling you what to do might sound exciting, but living on your own can be very different from what you expect. Here are some important things to think about before you leave home.
How much will it cost?
Living by yourself can be very expensive. You will need to pay for things like:
- rent (money to live in a flat or house)
- food and drinks
- gas, water, and electricity bills
- council tax (money you pay to the local council)
- TV licence
- broadband and phone bills
- toiletries and cleaning things
After paying for all these things, will you still have money left to go out with friends or buy new clothes?
If this is your first time living on your own, you might need to buy furniture like a bed, table, or chair. You will also have to pay a deposit and the first month’s rent before moving in. Have you saved up enough for this? Most landlords will also want you to have a ‘guarantor’ – this is someone who agrees to pay your rent if you can’t. Do you know someone who can do this for you?
Looking after yourself
Living alone means you must take care of yourself. Can you go shopping for food and cook meals? Can you wash and iron your clothes and do the washing up?
Before you leave home, ask yourself: “Can I look after myself if I live on my own?”
How will I know when it’s the right time to leave?
It’s not a good idea to leave home quickly, or because you had a big argument. The best time to move out is when you feel ready, have made a plan, and know you can go back to your family or friends if things don’t work out.
Think carefully about where you want to live and if you need anything special, like living on the ground floor or close to a bus stop. Moving out is a big choice, so make sure you are prepared.
Housing advice if you are under 16
I’m under 16 and I want to leave home – where can I go for help?
If you are having a hard time at home and arguing with your family, it can be very scary. It can be even worse if you think you might have to leave and become homeless. No matter what’s happening, you can get help from the Children’s Services team at East Sussex County Council.
If you think you might become homeless, call the Single Point of Advice (SPOA). Tell them you are under 16 and you’re worried about being homeless. They will help you talk to a social worker from Children’s Services who can help.
- Telephone: 01323 464222
What you tell us is confidential. We will only tell someone else if we think you are in danger.
I’m already homeless – what can I do?
It’s not too late to get help. Contact SPOA using the number above. They will give you support and advice.
What help can I expect?
The help you get depends on your situation. Your parents or carers are responsible for you, so most of the time we will try to help you go back home. We will do this by using ‘mediation’. This means we will try to help sort out the problems between you and your parents or carers. We also help make sure the same problems don’t happen again.
What if I can't solve the problems with my family?
If we can’t help fix the problems with your family, or if you are at risk of being hurt if you go home, the social worker will look at other options. These might include:
- Living with a foster family for a short or long time.
- Having a ‘family group conference’. This means bringing together your parents, your extended family, and other important people. The aim is to find a way to stop you from becoming homeless.