Accommodation for care leavers

Explore different housing options and see what financial support is available when moving.

There are different housing options available in the Westmorland and Furness area. Some include support, whilst others do not. Ultimately, you will decide what type of accommodation to accept.

We will consider your needs and your level of independent living skills. This is to ensure the accommodation offered to you is suitable and appropriate. Your personal adviser will be able to help you find information about the different accommodation types available to you

We will make sure your views are listened to and considered throughout the process.

On this page:

Types of accommodation

Supported accommodation (if you’re aged between 16 and 24)

If you find yourself homeless and have no other housing options, you may be eligible for supported accommodation.

The scheme does not just cover your accommodation. It is a package that includes support and training. You will need to get involved with the support offered, otherwise you may lose your accommodation.

Supported accommodation is a short-term solution to homelessness. It will allow you to live independently, whilst teaching you independent living skills such as:

  • cooking
  • cleaning
  • paying bills

If you move into supported accommodation, you may be offered a support worker. Your support worker will help you get through your tenancy. You will have a plan, which usually includes tenancy training. 

You will only stay in supported accommodation until you’re ready to move on. Your support worker will help you to find the right accommodation to move to.

Moving onto a council tenancy

If you decide to move onto a council tenancy (provided you’re over 18), your ‘band’ will be increased. A band means what level of priority you are on the council tenancy list. A is the highest priority and E is the lowest. 

You will be given a priority band, as a care experienced young person in Westmorland and Furness. This banding may change, depending on where you live. It’s important you check this out with your personal adviser, who will be able to offer you advice and guidance.

Homestays (if you’re aged between 16 and 21)

Homestays act as a home environment and includes support. You will receive between seven and ten hours of support per week. This will be tailored to meet your needs and help you to develop the skills to live independently. Both you and your homestay provider will sign a Homestay agreement to set clear expectations.

You must be in education, training or employment and may be considered for a homestay placement if:

  • you have been in a foster placement, but want to move into independent living
  • you’re struggling in your current adoption environment
  • you’re aged 16 to 18 and are seen as a child in need
  • you’re struggling to live independently

Staying put

If you live with a foster family, you can stay with them after the age of eighteen for up to three years. This is referred to as a staying put arrangement. Being in education, employment or training will help you to access the arrangement. 

If you enter a staying put arrangement, you will sign an agreement. You will be offered support too. The support is to help prepare you to live independently and is similar to that provided by homestay placements.

Your placement might change if you leave to attend university or join the Armed Forces. Your personal adviser will offer you information and guidance about this.

Renting in the private sector

You can rent a room or whole property by yourself from a private landlord. A landlord is usually someone who owns the property, or a company that specialises in renting out property.

You can find whole properties up for rent at Cumbria Choice Lettings.

Preventing homelessness

We want every care leaver to have a safe, stable, and suitable place to live. We understand that housing can sometimes feel confusing and overwhelming, particularly when you are preparing to live independently for the first time.

Housing and accommodation planning should begin well before your 18th birthday and will form an important part of your Pathway Plan. We will work with you to understand your individual needs, discuss your housing options, and help you prepare for independent living. We work closely with Housing Services, homelessness teams, supported accommodation providers, landlords, and other partner agencies to make sure you receive the right support at the right time.

We work with the: 

Westmorland and Furness Homelessness team
Telephone: 01539 733 333 (which is also available out of hours). 

They can sometimes support with emergency accommodation depending on your needs and situation.  With your consent, we can help you complete a Duty to Refer (DTR). 

A Duty to Refer is a legal requirement under the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017 that means certain public bodies, such as children's services, prisons, hospitals and the police, must refer someone to a local housing authority if they are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless within 56 days, and the person agrees to the referral. 

It is made to ensure people at risk of homelessness are identified early and can access housing advice and support as soon as possible, helping to prevent homelessness rather than responding only when a housing crisis occurs. 

If you live outside of Westmorland and Furness, we will liaise with the relevant Homelessness Team in that area.

Support from our Housing Tenancy Coordinator

As a care leaver, you have access to a dedicated Housing Tenancy Coordinator. This specialist role is available to support you with all aspects of housing and homelessness, before and after your 18th birthday.

Your Housing Tenancy Coordinator can:

  • help you understand your housing options
  • support you to make housing and homelessness applications
  • help complete referral forms and housing paperwork
  • support you with applications for housing priority banding
  • advocate on your behalf with housing providers and other agencies
  • attend meetings and appointments with you where needed
  • help you understand decisions and appeals relating to housing
  • work with landlords and housing providers to help sustain your tenancy
  • support you with housing benefit and other housing-related matters
  • help resolve issues before they place your accommodation at risk

Our aim is to make sure you have someone who can explain the process, answer your questions, and help you access the support you are entitled to.

Email: careexperiencedhousingsupport.WAF@cumbria.gov.uk

Housing advice and support

We offer regular housing drop-in sessions where you can access advice and support with any housing issue, no matter how big or small. If you would feel more comfortable meeting separately, individual support can also be arranged.

If you think you may become homeless or are:

  • worried about your accommodation
  • struggling to pay your rent
  • have received a warning from your landlord
  • at risk of eviction

It is important that you speak to your Personal Adviser or Housing Tenancy Coordinator as soon as possible. The earlier we know about any concerns, the more we can do to help prevent a housing crisis.

Financial support to help your secure accommodation

Your Personal Adviser and Housing Tenancy Coordinator will discuss the support available and help you access any financial assistance you may be entitled to.

Know your rights

As a care leaver, you have specific rights and entitlements relating to housing and accommodation. We will make sure you understand these rights and support you to access the services and accommodation that are available to you.

If you ever find yourself at risk of homelessness or without a safe place to stay, we will work with you and our housing partners to explore all available options and make sure you receive appropriate advice, support, and accommodation as quickly as possible.

If you need help with housing

Speak to your Personal Adviser or Housing Tenancy Coordinator as soon as possible if you are worried about your accommodation, rent, tenancy, housing application, or homelessness. We are here to help before problems become a crisis:

Westmorland and Furness Homelessness team
Telephone: 01539 733 333 (which is also available out of hours)

Financial support for housing

Moving into your own place can be an exciting time, but it can be a daunting and expensive process. Financial help is available, and your personal adviser can help you access this.

Setting up home allowance

This allowance provides up to £3,000 to help you furnish your home. How and when this money is paid depends on how you move into independent living. It’s designed to support you through your whole transition. 

For example, if you move to a furnished flat, more of this funding will be held back to help meet your future needs.

The allowance includes:

  • £25 towards your first purchase of cleaning materials
  • £50 towards your first shop
  • your TV license paid for your first year

If you’re eligible for any remaining funding, you can request this up to your 25th birthday.

Help with rent deposits

This assistance is available to eligible, relevant and former relevant care leavers.

When you find a place to live, you might have to pay a deposit to secure the tenancy. You may also be asked to pay an admin fee to the estate agent.

We will help you get started by:

  • paying up to one month’s rent to put towards your deposit
  • paying up to £100 towards admin fees from an estate or letting agent

Your personal adviser will talk to you about private renting before any funding is agreed.

Emergency payments

Emergency or sudden costs that you need to pay for can sometimes occur. Although these costs need to be paid, they shouldn’t push you into financial hardship.

We can help you pay for the following costs: 

  • heating and electric, up to £20
  • food, up to £30 (a voucher or supervised spending)
  • resettlement clothing grant, up to £100
  • cold weather grant, up to £20 in periods of extreme weather
  • emergency winter clothing grant, up to £50

Heating and electric support is available to all care leavers.

The remaining grants are available to Eligible, Relevant, Former Relevant and Qualifying care experienced young people.

The funding is given on a discretionary basis and we may have to carry out an assessment, so that we can understand your needs. We may also offer you budgeting sessions. These sessions will help you to not end up in a similar situation in future.

More financial help

Other forms of financial support for care leavers.