Are you at risk of losing your home?
You can get support if you are homeless or could become homeless. This includes if you have nowhere to stay or it is not safe for you to stay where you are.
Take me to Preventing homelessness ↘ Check if you can get support ↘ If you are homeless ↘ If you are going to be become homeless ↘
Get help if you are:
- sleeping rough (street homeless)
- facing eviction or if you get notice to leave your current home
- experiencing or at risk of domestic abuse
Preventing homelessness
Instead of moving perhaps you can stay where you are for the moment. You may be able to sort out any problems you have in your current home.
- Problems with a private landlord
- Problems with a social landlord
- Neighbour disputes/antisocial behaviour
- Financial difficulties
- Domestic abuse
If this isn't possible, the next option is to look for a new home. There are some key points to consider before renting a property and approaching agencies that can help.
You can find information on GOV.UK about how to get help and keep your home, if you are struggling with your mortgage or facing repossession.
Check if you can get support
Being homeless does not just mean sleeping rough on the streets.
You can get support as a homeless person if:
- you have nowhere to stay
- it is not safe for you to stay where you are
- you are staying with friends or family because you have nowhere to live (otherwise known as sofa surfing)
- you are in a hostel, night shelter or hotel because you have nowhere to stay
- you are experiencing or at risk of violence in your home
- your house is flooded or you have had a house fire
If you are homeless
Call the council on 0208 708 4002 if you are homeless and have nowhere to stay tonight. This is a landline telephone number.
If you do not have a phone, you can email housing.options@redbridge.gov.uk. We can arrange an emergency face to face interview at Lynton House in Ilford if needed.
We will check to see if we can provide you with emergency accommodation. Emergency accommodation could be a basic bed and breakfast hotel or a room in a hostel or self-contained flat. This accommodation might not be in the borough of Redbridge.
If you are going to be become homeless
You should contact the council using the online form as soon as you know you might become homeless. We will check if we can legally provide you a home.
What happens if we cannot help you
You will get advice if we have no housing duty to you.
This might include:
- information about renting privately
- how to claim a Discretionary Housing Payment (DHP) or Employment and Support Allowance
- referrals to our Children’s Social Services or Adult Social Care
What happens if we can help
We will offer you temporary accommodation if you are eligible for our housing help. This might be a room in a hostel or self-contained flat or private rented accommodation.
We will check if you can get housing benefit. This benefit can help cover the rent.
We will add you to the council house waiting list (housing register) if you are eligible.
You will not automatically be given a council house if you are homeless or living in temporary accommodation. It is unlikely you will get a council house as there are more people on the waiting list than homes available. We will give you advice depending on your situation.
