If you leave home without anywhere else to live or your parents throw you out then you are ‘homeless’. This happens to quite a few young people: some end up sleeping on the floor of a friend’s house for a few days or, worse, sleeping rough on the streets.
If you find yourself homeless, or think that it could happen, you need to contact your Personal Adviser as soon as possible.
Depending on your circumstances you might be eligible to apply for council run housing, but it’s likely that you’ll be placed on a waiting list for something suitable to become available.
It always pays to Know Your Rights
Shelter provides advice on homelessness and have a local advice centre at:
Greater Manchester Housing Aid Centre
Ground Floor
Victoria House
5 Samuel Ogden Street
Manchester M4 7AX
0845 515 1640
Open: 9.00 am - 5.00 pm
Weekends Shelterline 0808 800 4444 (Mon - Fri: 8.00 am - 8.00 pm; Sat - Sun: 8.00 am -5.00 pm)
The CAB (Citizens Advice Bureau) also provides advice on housing and homelessness issues; locally you can contact them at:
Tameside Housing Advice Centre
119 – 125 Old Street
Ashton under Lyne OL6 7RL
0161 331 2700 (Emergency housing: 0161 342 2222)
You can use the library in your Connexions Centre too as it has information for you to read or take away. You could also go to Weblinx for more useful websites.