If you, or someone you know in England is homeless or at risk of becoming homeless:
Contact your council
The first thing you should do is contact your local council's housing team. Under the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017, councils have a duty to find a home for families or individuals who are found to be homeless and to meet ‘priority need’ criteria. Councils must also help prevent or relieve the homelessness of all eligible people threatened with homelessness within 56 days.
Search for local services
Search Homeless England, our online directory of thousands of homelessness services across England, including accommodation, day centres and support services
Use advice lines and online help
Shelter, the housing charity has a wealth of information on their website about your rights and the support you can expect, depending on your personal circumstances. They also run a free housing advice line - 0808 800 4444 - and an online chat service.
Citizen's Advice offers practical, impartial information online - at adviceguide.org.uk - over the phone and face to face in their local advice centres.
Samaritans are available to listen to you 24/7 on 116 123.
Overall
There is no single service or piece of advice that can help everyone who experiences homelessness. The support available to you will depend on a number of factors, including your personal circumstances, whether you have children and where you are from.
This page doesn't have all the answers, but it should point you towards support that will help you get back on your feet.
More about homelessness
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What causes homelessness?
The causes of homelessness are as varied as the people the people who experience it. On this page we discuss some of the more common groups of structural and personal factors.
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What is the impact of homelessness?
Not all people facing homelessness face the same challenges. And some people facing homelessness are not as visible as others. On this page are some descriptions of different types of homelessness and some of the legal framework.
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What are the solutions to homelessness?
Through the work of homelessness organisations across the country we have learnt about what works to solve homelessness for individuals and for groups of people
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How many people are homeless?
The answer to this question is not straight forwards. ,This page will guide you through the different ways of counting homelessness and link to key sources.
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What is homelessness?
Not all people facing homelessness face the same challenges. And some people facing homelessness are not as visible as others. On this page are some descriptions of different types of homelessness and some of the legal framework.
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How do I help someone sleeping rough?
This page explains how you can help someone who is sleeping rough and connect them to local services.
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How can I help end homelessness?
Everyone has the right to a place to call home. If you want to help achieve this goal this page suggests how you can help.
