Housing advice for young people (16-17 year olds)

If you are aged 16-17 and homeless or threatened with homelessness get help now by contacting either the Housing Advice Team or Children’s Services 

Normally, Children’s Services will have the main responsibility for you if you are under 18 and are homeless or could be homeless. They should offer you advice, support and accommodation if you are homeless.

If you come to us, we will have a duty to assess your circumstances and may get you  emergency accommodation if you need it. In all cases we will refer you to Children’s Services for them to carry out an assessment of your needs, this will be completed in 10 days.

Are you homeless now?

Housing Advice Team and Children’s Services will always try to get you back in the family home if this is a safe option for you. 

If it's not an option you may be given emergency accommodation. It is most likely that this will be in a safe base, crash pad or with an emergency family host. We work with St Basils and Wyre Forest Nightstop if needed. 

Do you need help to stay where you are?

The Housing Advice Team, Children’s Services and our Young Persons Pathway Worker can work with you and your family to try and keep you in the family home. You can also be referred to Wyre Forest Nightstop mediation services.

Do you need to move soon?

If you are able to stay where you are but only for a short time, Children’s Services or the Housing Advice Team can talk you through your longer term options.

The type of accommodation available to 16-17 year olds varies. For example, Children’s Services may arrange for you to live in supported foster or residential care. If you refuse this, then the Housing Advice Team can look for other options such as Foyer type accommodation where you have adequate support. As you are under 18, you cannot legally hold a tenancy so you are unlikely to be offered social or private housing.

Are you worried that you don't have much money?

If you are 16 or 17, you can't normally get benefits; this can be different if you have dependent children or are unable to work due to poor health. Children’s Services may help you with subsistence allowance to cover your living costs. 

Support

Under Children’s Services you will be given a personal advisor (PA) whose job it is to make sure you claim everything you are entitled to. They can help you with application forms for housing, benefits, education and training courses, they can also help with life skills such as budgeting.

Personal advisors should stay in contact with you and provide ongoing help and support until you turn 21 (or 25 if you are studying full time). They will offer this support even if you do not accept accommodation from them.

We also have a Young Persons Pathway Worker who can work with your PA to help you find a pathway into housing and ensure all the relevant support is in place. They can also help you claim benefits and other things like college bursaries.