How to get free help from your council if you think you might lose your home
Key points
- If you are likely to become homeless within 56 days, your local council has a legal duty to work with you to try to prevent it — contact them as soon as you receive any notice to leave.
- This help is free and the council must create a Personalised Housing Plan for you, regardless of whether you count as a priority case.
- Your Jobcentre work coach and many other public services have a duty to refer you to the council if they know you are at risk of losing your home.
If you think you might have to leave your home in the next two months, do not wait until things reach crisis point. Your local council has a legal duty to try to help you — and you can ask for that help right now.
The 56-day rule
Under the law in England, your council must try to prevent you becoming homeless if you are likely to lose your home within 56 days. That is about 8 weeks.
You do not need to have already received a formal court order. If your landlord has told you they want you to leave, or if you are struggling to pay your rent and worried about what comes next, contact your council's housing options team now.
The earlier you go, the more options you have.
What the council must do
When you contact the council, they must assess your situation properly. They then work with you to create a Personalised Housing Plan. This is a written record of the steps you and the council will each take to try to keep you in your home or find you somewhere else to live.
This help is free. The council must provide it regardless of whether you count as being in "priority need." The priority need rules that sometimes limit who gets temporary accommodation do not stop you getting this prevention help.
Search for your next property on DSSmove →Jobcentres and other services must refer you
If you claim Universal Credit, your work coach has a duty to refer you to the council's housing team if they know you may be at risk of losing your home. This is called the duty to refer.
Many other public services share the same duty, including NHS services, the police, and prison services. You can also refer yourself — just contact your council's housing options team directly.
How to reach the right team
Search online for your council's name and "housing options" to find the right team. Many councils have an emergency out-of-hours number for urgent housing problems.
Citizens Advice and Shelter both offer free advice on homelessness and your housing rights. If you are unsure how to approach the council or what to say, speaking to one of them first can help you feel more prepared.
Do not wait until you have nowhere to go. The law gives you rights before that point. Use them.
Frequently asked questions
What if I am not sure whether my situation counts as serious enough to go to the council?
You do not need to wait for a court order or a bailiff letter — Citizens Advice and Shelter can help you decide when and how to approach your council's housing options team.
Does this duty apply if I live in Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland?
No. The 56-day prevention duty under the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017 applies in England only. Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland each have their own homelessness laws — contact a local housing adviser for guidance.
Official source: https://england.shelter.org.uk/housing_advice/homelessness/get_help_from_the_council