A young person is staying with me because they have nowhere else to live. What can I do to help them?

Many young people stay with friends or people they don’t know because they don’t have anywhere else to live. Even though they are not sleeping on the streets, this is still classed as being homeless, and they should seek help from their local council.

If you are comfortable doing so, you could support them to approach their local council, ensuring that they are able to make a homelessness application and that an assessment of their needs and situation is completed. The council is required to consider their application and their situation before deciding whether they are eligible for support.

If the young person is under 18 and is staying with you because they have been kicked out of their home or have experienced violence, threats or abuse at home, they should contact the children’s services team at their local council.