Status and housing pathways
Under 18 with no immigration status
You are currently placed in accommodation funded by Lincolnshire County Council and accommodated under Section 20 of the Children Act 1989 as you are a child in care while you are under 18.
Although you may live outside the county, Lincolnshire remains responsible for your care. At present, you do not have immigration status, which means you are unable to rent privately or join council housing registers when you turn 18.
Lincolnshire will continue to support you with accommodation until you turn 21 or receive a final decision on your asylum claim. If your claim is refused and all appeal rights are exhausted, you will be offered a human rights assessment, where we will identify if you returning to your country breaches your human rights. If no breach is identified, Lincolnshire will no longer provide accommodation support.
When you turn 18, if your current placement is only suitable for under-18s, your social worker and leaving care worker will work with you to plan a move to more suitable accommodation. They will aim to find appropriate housing in your current area if that is your preference. If no vacancies are available, accommodation in Lincolnshire will be considered, as the council has a duty to house you while your asylum claim is ongoing.
If your placement allows you to remain beyond the age of 18, you may stay until you are 21, provided you follow the rules and are not served notice.
Under 18 with immigration status
You currently have five years’ leave to remain, which entitles you to apply for council housing three months before you turn 18 and private rental options.
Your accommodation is funded by Lincolnshire County Council until you reach 18 years old, which retains responsibility for your care as you are a child.
You have a local connection to all Lincolnshire districts – there are seven different districts across Lincolnshire which your social worker and leaving care worker can show you on a map to make this easier to see. This enables you to join council housing registers and apply for homelessness assistance if you do not have a permanent address through no fault of your own when you turn 18.
You can be supported to make a homeless application 56 days before you turn 18. Your social worker or leaving care worker will be able to support you with this.
If you wish to live outside Lincolnshire, you will be supported to explore private rental options. These are typically shared properties due to affordability. Often shared properties are shared facilities and with bills included. However, some do require a service charge paid. You may apply to be on the housing registers in other areas, but you are unlikely to receive priority and may face long waiting times.
Over 18 with no immigration status
You are currently placed in accommodation funded by Lincolnshire County Council. Although you may live outside of Lincolnshire, Lincolnshire remains responsible for your care.
Without immigration status, you cannot rent privately or join council housing registers.
Lincolnshire will continue to support you with accommodation until you turn 21 or receive a final decision on your asylum claim.
If your claim is refused and all appeal rights are exhausted, you will be offered a human rights assessment, where we will identify if you returning to your country breaches your human rights.
If no breach is identified, Lincolnshire will no longer provide accommodation support.
If you are still awaiting a decision after turning 21 and are engaged in education, Lincolnshire will continue to pay for your accommodation until your claim outcome is received. If you are over 21 and are not in education, you may be referred to the home office for accommodation and financial support. You will continue to receive support from Lincolnshire’s information, advice and guidance service.
Over 18 with immigration status
If you receive a positive outcome from your asylum appeal and are granted five years’ leave to remain, you will be given notice to leave your current accommodation as you will be entitled to apply to be on the housing register or for private rented accommodation and claim housing benefits depending on your employment or education.
If you are living in a Locate accommodation property, you may be offered a six-month tenancy if you are in education and have not received tenancy warnings.
During this time, you should consider what type of accommodation is affordable and suitable for your needs, including making applications to the housing department. If you are not in education or are not offered a tenancy by Locate, you will be given four to six weeks’ notice to leave.
With your consent, a care leavers homelessness referral will be made to a Lincolnshire district. Referrals cannot be made to Peterborough or other local authorities, as they do not have a duty to house you and often reject such referrals.
Although you may live outside Lincolnshire, the council remains responsible for supporting you with your housing needs and will assist you to find suitable accommodation within any of the seven Lincolnshire districts. We will also support you to find suitable accommodation outside Lincolnshire if you wish, but the council does not have a responsibility to fund your housing outside of the seven districts which you have a local connection to.
As a Lincolnshire care experienced young person you gain local connection to all Lincolnshire districts, which allows you to automatically join housing registers and apply for homelessness assistance for emergency accommodation within Lincolnshire.
If you do not wish to live in Lincolnshire, you will be supported to explore private rental options. Affordable options will likely be shared accommodations in houses of multiple occupancy. Single flats or studios are typically unaffordable without full-time employment.
You will also be supported in seeking private rental options if you wish to remain in Peterborough. However, we advise that you consent to a referral to a Lincolnshire district in case private accommodation is not secured before your notice period ends. This will help prevent homelessness.
OR
Alternative scenario: supported accommodation in Nottingham, Derby, or Leicester
If you are living in supported accommodation in Nottingham, Derby, or Leicester and are in education, your leaving care worker may request a top-up payment to extend your stay until the end of the academic term. This helps avoid disruption to your education.
Although you live outside Lincolnshire, the council remains responsible for your housing. You have a local connection to all Lincolnshire districts and can access housing support there.
If you do not wish to live in Lincolnshire, you will need to explore private rental options, which are likely to be shared accommodations. Single flats or studios are generally unaffordable without full-time employment.
If you are not in education or your top-up period ends, you will be given four to six weeks’ notice to leave. With your consent, a homelessness referral will be made to a Lincolnshire district. Referrals cannot be made to Nottingham or other authorities, as they do not have a duty to house you and often reject such referrals.
You will also be supported in seeking private rental options if you wish to remain in Nottingham. Again, we advise that you consent to a referral to Lincolnshire in case private accommodation is not secured in time, to avoid homelessness.
Applying for council tendency
Firstly, apply for housing through the local authority (often known as council tenancy or property). You will need to make an application for housing. After you’ve made an application for housing the local authority will assess your current situation and decide whether you are in ‘priority need’ ( as unaccompanied asylum-seeking child or separated child you gain high priority). They will also consider your ‘local connection’ to the area (how long you’ve lived in the area, whether you have family in the area, work or school, education commitments). You should receive a personal housing plan (PHP) explaining the steps that you and the council agree to take to secure you accommodation.
Because you are classed as care experienced young person local connection can be hard to get if you are not living in Lincolnshire as not all local authorities offer housing if you are from other areas.
It is important to understand that if the local authority offers you some accommodation after you make an application, it is important that you are aware that if you refuse this offer, they may decide that you are intentionally homeless and no longer support you. After you have accepted an offer, you will have the option to challenge the suitability of the accommodation (including location or condition).
Private rented accommodation
Private rented housing means renting a home from a landlord (not the council or a housing association). This could be:
- a room in a shared house
- a flat or house on your own
You need to consider if you are able to pay the rent through either your salary from working or universal credit which is a benefit that can help you with living costs, including rent.
Housing across the UK is limited and very expensive. So is important to understand that if a room or a house share is identified in an area that will accept universal credits you need take advice from services around if to accept this home as options will be limited.