If you are at risk of becoming homeless, report it to your local authority.
Homelessness isn’t always rough sleeping. It includes situations such as sofa surfing and sleeping at a friends or relatives house on a temporary basis.
What happens if you're at risk of becoming homeless
If you are at risk of becoming homeless within the next 56 days the local authority must act to either keep you in your current accommodation, or find you an alternative solution. This could be some form of temporary accommodation such as a hotel or B&B, whilst permanent accommodation is being sought.
An officer will go through a personal housing plan with you which can take up to two hours to complete. It will provide them with all the information they need to help and support you effectively.
The homelessness register sits separately to the council housing register so ensure your housing officer is aware that you are being made homeless, not just that you want to apply for social housing.
Rough sleeping
If you are a single ex-service man or woman and require additional support along with housing you may want to consider Amicus Trust.
David from Amicus Trust discusses what support can be offered to homeless veterans who are in need of housing advice and additional support, such as substance misuse or mental ill health:
Night shelters and community services
There are several night shelters and community services that provide support to those sleeping rough across the county:
If the weather is extremely cold, special protocols will kick in across the county and emergency local shelters will be open to provide support during these periods of cold weather.