Homelessness

You don’t have to be living on the street to be homeless. You may be legally classed as homeless if you are sleeping on a friend’s sofa, staying in a hostel, suffering from overcrowding, or other bad conditions. Shelter

Homelessness can often be avoided if you act quickly and get the right help.

General advice

• Shelter – homelessness
• Citizens Advice Bureau

Local help

STEPS and Home Works can provide support if you are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless:

• Help with your housing and staying in your own home

If you are homeless or about to become homeless, you can also contact your local district or borough council for help:

• Lewes and Eastbourne Councils
• Hastings Borough Council
• Rother District Council
• Wealden District Council

The district and borough councils have a legal responsibility to re-house certain households. They must arrange alternative temporary accommodation for any household which is homeless or threatened with homelessness within the next month and in ‘priority need’. This includes people who:

• have children or are pregnant
• are elderly
• have physical or mental health problems
• are homeless as a result of an emergency such as fire or flood.