Homelessness

Losing your home, or having nowhere to live, is a distressing situation for anyone. There is a network of services in Kent provided to help people facing homelessness.

If you are homeless, you should contact your local council. Contact information for each council's homelessness service can be found on the gov.uk website which you can link to here.

Councils have a legal duty to provide anybody who is homeless, or threatened with homelessness, with advice and appropriate assistance. The kind of assistance you are entitled to depends on your circumstances and how you became homeless. The law states that enquiries must be made about all homeless applicants to establish if councils have a duty to help and, if so, what kind of help they should give. Every council must ensure that enquiries are made into all homeless applications.

Housing Loss Prevention Advice Scheme

The Housing Loss Prevention Advice Service (HLPAS)  is a government funded legal aid scheme providing free legal advice and representation to people facing the loss of their home. HLPAS is delivered by existing housing law experts and offers initial legal advice to anyone who is threatened with possession proceedings to try and resolve problems and avoid court action; as well as in court legal representation for those whose cases cannot be solved out of court. 

Information about which legal advisors are providing this service is available via this link and more information about this scheme can also be viewed here.

Homelessness Self Help Tool

Local Authorities in Kent have developed a self-assessment tool which provides help and guidance if you are at risk of becoming homeless which is available below:

Homelessness Assessment and Referral Tool for Kent

Below are some websites and links that can help.

Porchlight provides support and accommodation projects to single homeless people and people at risk of becoming homeless.

Catching Lives is a charity dedicated to supporting the homeless in and around Canterbury.

CentrePoint offers helpline support to those experiencing or at risk of homelessness.

Shelter is a national charity helping homeless people.

Crisis are an organisation that provide advice and support for homeless people

The National Homeless Advice Service (NHAS) have a series of fact sheets and public advice guides that provide written by a team of legal experts.

If you are at threat of homelessness please complete the self-assessment referral form via our helpwithhomelessness triage assessment and advice tool.

Alternatively for further advice contact the Kent Regional advice line on 0808 278 7846.