Homelessness

The information below is for young people leaving care who need to find somewhere to live.

When you leave care

At the age of 18, funding for your care is reduced as you are entitled to receive benefits. Moving from care to independent living is a big step and can be a challenge, but support is available to help you find somewhere suitable to live, and make settling into your new home a success.

One of our Aftercare workers will help you make the transition to adulthood and independence up to the age of 25. They can offer support with accommodation, education, training and employment.

Getting on the council housing register

Affordable housing is in very short supply in Thurrock, and limited to people who are eligible and have a local connection with Thurrock. As a Thurrock care leaver, you will have a local connection even if your care placement was outside of the borough.

If you apply to go on our housing register, we will work with the Aftercare team to be sure you can live independently. If you have shown you can live independently, we will give you a priority to help you to move into social housing. Find out more about your housing options, including how to apply to join the housing register.

If you are at risk of becoming homeless

If you're at risk of becoming homeless in the next 56 days (8 weeks) and you cannot find your own alternative accommodation, you can approach any local council in England and ask for help.

If you are eligible, the council will look into your needs and make a plan to help you. The plan will include steps that both you and the council will take to find you somewhere to live – for example, approaching agencies in the right way, maximising benefits, getting help with work or training.

If you are single with low support needs, we may be able to help you move into a shared house.

If you are homeless now

As a care leaver, we will check whether you need any extra levels of support and may decide that you have a 'priority need'. To find out more, go to Shelter: priority need.

If you do have a priority need, we will provide you with temporary accommodation while we work with you to find somewhere more permanent that meets your needs.

Whether you have a priority need or not, we will try to relieve your homelessness for a period of 56 days (8 weeks).