Accommodation
If you are still in care, we will provide you with accommodation up to the age of 18.
Leaving care before turning 18
We will encourage you to stay in care until you are 18. If you choose to leave care before age 18, the law says we must provide you with suitable accommodation.
Housing options
Your social worker or personal adviser will be able to talk through what housing options are available when you turn 18. This could include:
- Staying Put - Young people in foster care are encouraged to 'Stay Put' with their carers when they turn 18. This arrangement allows you to remain with your foster carer until the age of 21. Your social worker will have all the details on Staying Put or you can read our guide to Staying Put.
- Supported accommodation - if you do chose to move on from your placement then care leavers have priority access to some supported accommodation projects in the county. This might be for you if you are not ready to live independently.
- Independent housing including social housing – (accommodation managed by district councils or a housing association).
Discuss your options with your social worker or personal adviser.
Help and advice
If you are aged over 18, your personal adviser will help you to find suitable accommodation. This might involve:-
- Working with housing services to come up with suitable housing options for you
- Advice about holding down a tenancy, including avoiding rent or Council Tax arrears, paying bills and budgeting. We know it can be very hard having your own place for the first time. We will do whatever we can to ease the pressures on you
- Helping you to claim universal credit.
- Practical support with moving into and furnishing your new home.
- Supporting you if you have a housing crisis, including helping if you are threatened with or lose a tenancy (homelessness laws say that care leavers aged 18-20 have a priority need for housing).
What to ask
You may want to discuss some things with your social worker, personal adviser or carers, like:
- What do I need to do to prepare for when I leave care?
Think about practical things like budgeting, cooking and what bills will you need to pay. - Where can I get career advice?
Financial support
We may provide you with financial support to help you to live independently or in semi-supported accommodation.
The financial support we give you depends on your age, when you were in care and for how long. This is what decides your legal status as a care leaver. The following links will take you to more information about help you could get based on your legal status:
Speak to your personal adviser if you have any questions about what you are entitled to.
More information and advice
The preparing for independence section has more information about the support you'll get to prepare for living independently. The money section has more information about other financial support such as benefits.
Other organisations that provide information and advice:
- Shelter – housing advice
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