Housing and accommodation

We will work together with you and our partners to find you the right home, and also support you with living independently so that you feel safe, confident and prepared.

All care leavers can get help with accommodation. Talk to your personal advisor to find out about the help we can offer.

Housing types

There are different types of housing available depending on how ready you feel to be independent.

Staying put

If you are living with foster carers, you may want to stay with them after you are 18 - this is called ‘staying put’. 

As long as everyone agrees with the plan, you can remain with them up until you are 21. Your ‘staying put’ carers will continue to help you to develop your independence skills. 

You will need to pay them rent either from your wages or from Universal Credit (we will help you to set this up), and you will have a ‘living together agreement’ which explains the expectations of you and your former foster carers.

Supported lodgings

This means you would have your own room in someone’s house and share the other rooms. 

You will be like a lodger in the carer’s home, but most supported lodging carers will invite you to be part of the family if you would like. Or you can live independently, but feel secure that there is someone living along side you to support you if needed.

Semi independent

You will have independent accommodation. but can get extra help and support from staff. The staff would be either onsite or visit regularly. 

This may be your own room in a shared house or might be a flat on your own.

Private rented accommodation

If you are 18 and have good independent skills, you may decide to rent from a private landlord. 

Your personal advisor can help you check out properties and tenancy agreements. Support is available if you need to pay rent up front.

Social housing

This is sometimes known as ‘council housing’ and is provided by the local authority's housing department. 

Your PA or housing worker will help you to fill in a housing application and you will be given a bidding number. 

Each week you can bid on properties that are available. If you are successful, the housing office will let your PA know so they can arrange to go with you to sign up. 

As a care leaver you will receive priority and this is backdated to when you turned 16 years old. 

Those who have claimed asylum in the UK will receive a backdate to when they received their claim decision. This can also mean that you can bid on local housing associations as well, using the same bidding website as council housing.

Find out how to apply and get more information on council housing.

Homelessness

If you ever find yourself in a position where you think you will be homeless, contact your PA, the Care Leaver Duty Team or Leeds Housing Options straight away for support.

Support with housing costs and living independently

Available support includes:

  • an allowance to buy luggage for your items when you move home
  • that we will buy your TV licence for the first year, if you need one
  • help to arrange and pay for your removal costs to your first home
  • supporting you to purchase items needed for your new home, this is called a setting up home allowance
  • payments towards your heating bills for your first and second winter of independent living
  • help if you are struggling with budgeting, ask your PA or housing worker for support and tips to learn how to budget
  • West Yorkshire Fire Service visiting your home to provide personalised advice about fire and safety. Ask your PA to arrange a visit from them