It is important to know your options and the below links give you information around local housing support that you may be entitled to and how to access it. It is important to understand your options and what is available for you locally. It can be helpful to discuss these options with someone else so you get the right support that you need. The links below provide further information and video case studies from young people around the main routes you can access for accommodation and the realities of these options.
For information on the standard housing pathway that a young homeless person will go through Click Here
For information on the local council route and the support you will receive Click Here
For information on the Children's Services route and the support you will receive Click Here
Virtual Tours showing three different types of supported accommodation Click Here
Left home and staying with friends?
If you are currently staying between friends (‘Sofa Surfing’), it is important to understand the impact of this and how not accessing support can affect your life. Want to find out more? Click Here
Knowing Your Options
If you are aged 16 and 17 and feel like you want to be independent of your Mum and Dad it's important you get some advice from your local Yes Centre or District Council Housing Options Dept. But to give you a heads up here's some information to think about… most young adults leave home around the age of 24!
If you feel like you want a bit more freedom, come home later, have your friends around when you want, have your boyfriend/girlfriend to stay over when you want, the best advice we can give is be patient and talk to your parents/discuss how you would be able to have more freedom/flexibility at home. To leave home before you are 18 is really difficult for a number of reasons. These are legal reasons and social reasons. To leave before you are 20 can be tricky so it's really important to get some advice from a Housing Officer before you think about leaving home.
A lot of landlords feel concerned about renting to young people. They are worried that young people may bring lots of friends home, make a lot of noise, damage their flats etc...
Landlords prefer tenants to be working (you need to make sure you have enough money, can pay the rent and all your bills like council tax, water, electric etc…)
So if things are ok at home and you just feel you are ready to leave, there are not many options, so think carefully about what you want to do and get some advice.
If you are aged 16/17 and are really unhappy at home for a number of reasons and/or your Mum and Dad have told you to leave (kicked you out) it's important you get some advice from your local Yes Centre or District Council Housing Options Dept straight away. Click Here
If you are aged 16/17 and you have been told to leave your parents home or you are running away from a form of violence/abuse, you will be entitled to a range of support and accommodation depending on your situation.
Your basics rights are as follows:
You should be entitled to accommodation. A housing officer and Social Worker will need to assess your situation and confirm you are homeless with your family, so the type and length of accommodation provided to you will differ on your situation and where you live in Devon but your Housing Officer will give you more information about this.
You will be entitled to financial assistance. Again, where the money comes and how long you have it depends on your situation and what you want.
Your longer term housing and financial rights and what support you get from here on will differ depending on your needs, your situation and what you want. But to get more information on your legal rights in relation to housing go to our useful web links. Click Here
Reality checking
It will be easier to move out of home?
This is a myth thought by many young people who are experiencing relationship breakdown at home with their parents/carers. Young people who leave home would disagree with this. You would have to manage your own money and be responsible for buying your own clothes, toiletries etc.
All supported housing projects have rules that you would need to stick to around what time you need to be back and how many visitors you are allowed in. These rules can often be more strict than when you are living with your parents/carers. However, you don’t need to live in a house with constant arguing. There is information on how you can access this support on this website.
I can leave home when I want to?
If you are aged under 18 it is very difficult to leave home through your own choice. Legally you would not be able to sign a tenancy. Unless you are estranged from your parents (unable to live at home) you would not be able to access benefits to pay your rent or help you manage your bills. Sometimes it is best to plan to move out when you have the skills and finance to live independently.
I’ll have more money than I do now?
You may receive an allowance from social services or access benefits if you leave home but you will have lots more outgoings. You may have to pay top-up on your rent, pay for gas/electricity etc, buy your own food and toiletries and buy your own clothing. Many young people struggle with budgeting and find that there is little money left to do things that they want like having credit on their phone or going out with friends.