What to do if you are at risk of homelessness in Cheshire West and Chester

People can become homeless or be at risk of homelessness for various reasons, but it is important that you contact the Council’s Housing Options team as early as possible for information and support. We may be able to help you stay in your home, help you find alternative accommodation or be able to provide emergency accommodation. This depends on your circumstances, such as if you have children who depend on you, or you meet the priority need criteria.

The Housing Options team can be contacted via the Freephone Advice Line: 0808 175 3595 (opening hours Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 9am – 4.30pm and Wednesday 1pm – 4.30pm).

It’s important to gather as much information as possible about your situation before contacting the Housing Options team. This can include:

• Proof of identity.
• Your eviction notice from your landlord or confirmation in writing that you have been asked to leave other accommodation.
• Birth certificates if you have children.
• Information on any medical conditions.
• 5-year address history.

What happens next?

Once we have done an initial assessment and we have reason to believe that you are homeless or at risk of homelessness, we will book you in for a homeless assessment with an experienced Case Management Officer. This is usually done by telephone, but you can request a face-to-face appointment.

Where we have information that you are threatened with homelessness within the next 56 days and regardless of your priority need, we will work with you to prevent you from becoming homeless, by helping you to remain in your current property or helping you to secure alternative accommodation.

If at the point of assessment, you have already become homeless we will work with you to relieve homelessness. If you meet the threshold for ‘priority need’ we will offer you emergency accommodation. We are unable to guarantee the location of the emergency accommodation, but it will usually be a hotel.

Homeless prevention tools

The Council’s primary aim is always to prevent homelessness and the sooner you call, the more likely we are to find a way to keep you in your home. The Housing Options team has multiple tools that they can use to assist you to resolve your situation.

Personalised Housing Plan: a personalised housing plan will be formulated when you are owed a prevention or relief duty. The plan is agreed between you and your Case Management Officer for you to use as a guide to help you resolve your situation. It will be tailored to your unique situation.
Negotiation: this will apply if you have been served notice by a private landlord. We will work on your behalf to mediate between yourselves to determine if there is any support the Council can give that allows you to remain in your home and the notice be retracted.
Financial assistance: if it is identified that a financial payment could help you remain in your current property or help you to move into a new property, your Case Management Officer can apply to the Homeless Prevention Fund for a grant.
Mediation: this will apply if you have been asked to leave by family or friends. We will act as a mediator between yourselves to support you to return to the property or create an agreement that allows you to stay temporarily whilst we work to secure you alternative accommodation.
Supported Housing: in Cheshire West, ForFutures deliver our support service. Support can be provided to help you remain in your current home or there is supported housing available across the borough. There are a range of different housing schemes and support is tailored to the individual. Supported accommodation works as a bridging gap to support people to become tenancy ready when they may have experienced difficulties managing previous accommodation.
Social Housing: the Council manages the housing register for social housing in Cheshire West. West Cheshire Homes operates as a partnership between the registered housing providers in the borough. The West Cheshire Homes team will award you a priority banding based on your housing need. You will then be able to bid on suitable properties. You can register online at: http://westcheshirehomes.housingjigsaw.co.uk/account/account/register
Private Rented Sector: it is often easier, and quicker, to secure a private rented property, although you must be prepared to act fast in a very competitive market. Our Private Sector Liaison Officers work with landlords and local letting agencies to help find alternative accommodation options for our customers. If a suitable property is found by you or the Private Sector Liaison Officer, we may be able to help with rent in advance, a BOND, or a deposit from the Homeless Prevention Fund.
Debt Advice: if you are struggling with debt and money worries, you may need to seek help and advice. With lots of free confidential help and impartial debt advice services available, there is no need to use a fee-charging debt management company. We would seek to put you in touch with organisations that specialise in debt advice, with the ultimate aim that such intervention would enable you to remain in your accommodation.
Maximising income: this can apply to any person’s current living arrangements. We will help you to ensure you are receiving the correct benefits, help you to claim or challenge for the correct benefits and help you to claim any other funds for which you may qualify.

More Information
GOV.UK: Help if you’re homeless or about to become homeless
GOV.UK: New free legal advice for people facing eviction or repossession
Citizens Advice: Homelessness
Shelter: Homelessness Advice