Care leavers

4. Accommodation

If you are an ‘eligible’ or ‘relevant’ Care Leaver, we will pay for appropriate accommodation for you until you reach the age of 18 as part of your multiagency Pathway Plan.

If you are aged over 18, your PA will help you to find suitable accommodation. This might involve helping you complete applications, working with housing services, coming up with suitable housing options for you, attending housing interviews, etc. There is a range of different accommodation options, including:

  • Staying Put
  • Supported accommodation
  • Shared Lives
  • The House Project
  • Independent living

We want to help you find what’s right for you. We will support you to make a Universal Credit claim, or to access local housing allowance if you are in private rented accommodation.

You will receive high-priority access to social housing in accordance with our housing allocation policy.

If you choose to seek privately rented accommodation, we can help you apply for the deposit of your first month's rent, through the discretionary housing payment scheme.

We will support you to remain with your foster carers under what’s called a ‘Staying Put’ arrangement if this is what you and your foster carers want.

If you fall into the Eligible, Relevant or Former Relevant category, your PA will support you to access your Setting Up Home Allowance (or Leaving Care Grant), which can be up to £3,000. This will help you to furnish your first property and pay for things such as furniture, a cooker, crockery, insurance, etc. Payments will be worked out according to your needs and reasonable cost.

We will support you with a £20 Move In Pack for your first home move including cleaning and household essentials.

We will support you with moving into your first independent property, including £75 towards a removal van (for one move only), which will come from your Leaving Care Grant.

When you move into new accommodation, your PA will visit you within seven days of the move.

We will give you advice about maintaining a tenancy, including avoiding rent arrears, paying bills etc.

If you are living in Greater Manchester, we will exempt you from council tax until you are 25.

We aim to ensure that no Care Leaver accessing the service will be found intentionally homeless. We’ll put you in touch with the Homelessness Service if needed.

All your benefit entitlements will need to be confirmed with the Benefits Agency.