Housing
We will always support you to find a home within Redbridge. Sometimes this may not be possible, or you may not wish to stay in Redbridge, so we will work with you to find a place to live outside of the borough.
Take me to Accommodation options ↘ Council Tax ↘
We will always support you to find a home within Redbridge if that is the best thing to do.
If you’ve left the area and wish to return, we will try and help you to do this, provided it’s a safe option. Sometimes this may not be possible, or you may not wish to stay in Redbridge, so we may work with you to find a place to live outside of the borough.
There are link staff in the Redbridge Leaving Care Team who work closely with the Housing Service and specialise in work with care leavers. They can offer you bespoke support.
To help you find and sustain suitable accommodation, we will:
- Ensure a dedicated Housing Officer works jointly with you and your social worker to identify appropriate housing offers
- Help you set up a rent account to assist you in getting used to managing a tenancy. Provide you with opportunities to drop in for housing advice with our Housing Officer
- Provide you with access to ongoing workshops/groups to develop and improve your independent living skills. Provide you with information on how to access our enhanced leaving care grant (£3,000) and a further discretionary grant of up to £1,000 (subject to assessment) to help you furnish your move on accommodation
Accommodation options
There are a range of accommodation options once you are a care leaver:
Type |
Description |
Detail |
| Staying Put | This is an extension of your foster placement. |
This arrangement is for young people who have requested to remain with their carers post-18 and the carers agree to this. |
| Transitions Placement | For young people who are being prepared for semi-independent living. |
Usually, a large house with up to five young people sharing. You will have your own room but share other facilities. You will still have an allocated key worker who works within the service but has responsibility of overseeing your pathway plan and making sure you can demonstrate you can look after yourself. There will always be a member of staff in the house including sleep-in staff overnight. |
| Semi-Independent Placement | This service is for young people who already have demonstrated that they have some semi-independent skills and are enrolled at college or working. |
You will have your own room but share other facilities. You will still have an allocated key worker who works within the service but has responsibility of overseeing your pathway plan and making sure you can demonstrate you can look after yourself. |
| University Accommodation | This includes university halls or other student accommodation if you are in higher education. | This will depend on your education provider’s accommodation offer. |
| Settled Accommodation | This is your permanent home. |
If you are living independently, you can receive help from the Housing Officer in Redbridge Housing to manage your tenancy well. Your personal advisor or the Housing Officer based in the Leaving Care Team can give you more information about this. |
Council Tax
Redbridge recognises your transition to adulthood is a big step and wants to ensure you receive the best possible support. All Redbridge care leavers are exempt from paying any council tax until they reach the age of 25. You will be supported by your Personal Advisor to complete the necessary forms to administer the exemption. You will not have to pay any council tax regardless of whether you live in or outside the borough.
Council tax exemption for Care Leavers relates to Care Leavers who were previously looked after by Redbridge Children Social Care. Council tax exemption does not relate to other authorities’ Care Leavers placed in Redbridge.
