Emergency housing if you’re homeless

    Your council must help if you’re legally homeless, but how much depends on your eligibility, your level of need and if your homelessness is your fault.

    Check if your council must give you emergency housing.

    Legally homeless

    You may be legally homeless if:

    • you’ve no legal right to live in accommodation anywhere in the world
    • you can’t get into your home – eg your landlord has locked you out
    • it’s not reasonable to stay in your home – eg risk of violence or abuse
    • you’re forced to live apart from your family or people you normally live with because there’s no suitable accommodation for you
    • you’re living in very poor conditions – eg overcrowding

    If you’re legally homeless, your council must provide you with help – this could range from giving advice to arranging accommodation for you.

    The amount of help they give you will depend on things like:

    • if you became homeless through no fault of your own
    • if you’re eligible for assistance
    • if you’re in priority need

    Eligibility for assistance

    If you live permanently in the UK, you will usually be eligible for assistance. If you’re from abroad, you may not be eligible because of your immigration status.

    Shelter’s emergency housing rights checker helps you work out if you’re eligible for assistance and what you’re entitled to.

    Priority need

    You’re in priority need if:

    • you or someone you live with is pregnant
    • ‘dependent children’ live with you (under 16s or under 19s if they’re studying full-time)
    • you’re ‘vulnerable‘, eg as a result of old age or disability
    • you’re homeless after a flood, fire or other disaster

    You may be entitled to Housing Benefit to help with your housing costs.