Homelessness prevention

You might be at risk of losing your home for different reasons including if -

your landlord has served you notice
your family has asked you to leave
domestic abuse or relationship breakdown
you are getting behind with your mortgage

Apply for homeless support

We contact you within two working days after the application has been received.

Alternatively you can visit the Wilson Centre.

Find out the Wilson Centre opening times

If you are made homeless when our office is not open, call our emergency number on 01482 300 304.

Documents to bring

You need to bring the following documents which are applicable to you -

proof of identity for everyone in your household – birth certificate, passport, driving licence
proof of income – wage slips, benefits
letter from Home Office or other documents which says you are allowed to stay in the UK
proof that you are pregnant
copy of your tenancy agreement
copy of any notice to leave the place you have been living
bank statements and bills if you are being made homeless because of money problems
crime reference number or other proof if you are being made homeless due to violence
proof that you are disabled

What happens next

You are assigned a caseworker and working together you create a personalised housing plan to prevent your homelessness or secure alternative accommodation.

Find out if you are eligible

We cannot help you without proof that you are able to stay in the UK. This proof can be -

your birth certificate
passport
Home Office documents or Worker Registration Scheme documents
proof of your income (may be required)

Your personalised housing plan

There are many stages to your personalised housing plan -

your caseworker carries out an assessment to identify what has caused your homelessness or threat of homelessness
your housing needs and any support needs are taken into account to help you secure and retain accommodation
we work with you to develop a personalised housing plan which includes actions to be taken by you and your caseworker
you are expected to work with your caseworker and follow their advice and guidance to prevent you losing your home
your needs and wishes are taken into account as well as what accommodation is realistically available. We encourage informed and realistic choices to be included in your plan
limited council housing means we also look at other housing providers such as housing associations and the private rented sector

Preventing your homelessness

We help you stay in your current accommodation or help you find a new place to live before you actually become homeless. We take all reasonable steps to prevent your homelessness from happening and this continues for 56 days, unless it is brought to an end by you securing accommodation or by you becoming homeless.

We do this by talking to your landlord or mortgage lender, getting you advice on how to manage your money so that you can afford to stay in your home, or talking with your friends and family to check if they can help. You may be asked to change the ways you currently spend household money or how you receive it. For example, arranging for housing costs to be paid direct to a landlord.

If you rent privately and need some advice

Your landlord, or their agent, has legal responsibilities to manage your tenancy fairly and to keep your home up to a decent standard. You can find advice below -

find out if your section 21 notice is valid
Visit the England shelter website to check your section 21 notice
check if your tenancy deposit is protected
Visit the England shelter website to check your tenancy deposit
your landlord isn't meeting safety standards
Visit the GOV.UK website to check your landlords safety responsibilities
your landlord is trying to evict you
Visit the England shelter website for advice on eviction notices from private landlords
you have asked your landlord for repairs or complained about conditions in your home
Visit the England shelter website for advice on revenge eviction

What to do if you are a homeowner struggling with mortgage payments

If you are an owner occupier and you are in difficulty with your mortgage, there may be help available through the Breathing Space Loan scheme. These are interest free loans run by Wakefield council to cover mortgage payments depending on your circumstances.
Visit the Wakefield Council website for more information

Homeowner's might be able to get help towards interest payments.
Visit the GOV.UK website for support on your mortgage interest

You can ask a judge to ‘suspend the warrant for possession’. This means delaying the eviction or allowing you to stay in your home if you are able to make payments
Visit the GOV.UK website for advice on delaying your eviction