Homeless and Jobless. What help is available?

Secret-Santa_2

Hi,

I am a regular poster but am using a different username as the person I mention knows my username.

Basically a good friend of mine (in his early 20's) is currently homeless and jobless. He is living in a rented car with his belongings.

He has been to the estate agents to ask for the cheapest place to rent as he has money in his savings, but they required him to have a job contract of at least 6 months.

He has on/off labour work but doesnt have a contract for this apparently. So he has been looking for work but not been successful so far. Especially while he hasnt a permanant address.

He has no family that are willing to help, and he has overstayed his welcome at a couple of friends houses (mine included, we live with our parents so not convienient).

He has been to the council and not been given much help. Just told to keep looking for a place to rent.

Can anyone please give me some advice that I can pass on to him. He is a genuinely nice young lad who has no drink/drug issues at all. Just no one to help him and cant currently help himself.

What can he do next? Thank you in advance.

mum2one

One thing to say he is very lucky to have a friend like you, to help him out, I'm not much help, but the places I would suggest is the CAB, the local council and any housing assosiations, - from knowing our town their is an advisor for the homeless - he may be entitled to homeless hostel, maybe not where he wants to be, but would put in a stronger position.
Also check the internet for your area, as there may be advisory groups.

tinkertaylor05

As already suggested advice agencies will be able to help. Are you able to say what area you are in? No worries if not. Estate agents are probably going to ask for alot of hoops to be jumped through so I would advise looking for privately advertised accommodation, yes sometimes less reliable etc but it's freezing and staying in a car is awful.

Are they adverse to supported housing/hostel accommodation in the short term? As this could bridge the gap.

cattie

If he has money & can pay a deposit & rent in advance, could he not try to find a room to rent or a flatshare via local paper or a newsagents board? It may not be what he wants in the long term, but as a short term measure it may be his best route. He won't want to be living in his car in weather like this, poor thing.

If he lives in the city, try to find what charities exist for homeless youngsters as they often can help or advise on such issues & put names forward for housing associations.

Here in London, Salvation Army actually run a housing association specifically aimed towards getting young people off the streets & names are put forward by organisations that exist to help & provide services for homeless & vulnerable young people. They may well have housing in other area's of the uk too.

Secret-Santa_2

Thanks for the replies. Hes in a large town and has visited their housing options team who havent been much help. Told him that he just needs to keep looking for now.

He has enough for about a months rent and probably the deposit aswell.

Where can he look for private ads? Newspapers? anywhere else? The estate agent also had a huge letting fee that he couldnt afford aswell as rent and deposit.

He isnt keen on staying in a hostel etc. But the housing options team didnt mention anything about this sort of thing to him. They also didnt mention council housing etc.

Thanks.

mum2one

A lot of the hostels are run by charites, usually church based ones, - each area does depend on whether they are social housing such as houseing assosiations or council based, but I would certainly go back to them and ask for answers, they would be able to put him in touch with relevant departments.

tinkertaylor05

Secret-Santa wrote: »

He isnt keen on staying in a hostel etc. But the housing options team didnt mention anything about this sort of thing to him. They also didnt mention council housing etc.

Thanks.

They won't! I work in the homeless sector and like anything times are hard budgets are tight. The council in particular will buffer him away. Housing Associations usually have some supported housing, Charity ran supported housing will also be easier to access than local authority.

Private rentals, check newspapers shop windows, gum tree ummmmmmm it's getting late sorry! Avoid paying the estate agent's fees totally unecessary.

tinkertaylor05

http://www.homelessuk.org/details.asp?id=LP385 I just keep thinking of him sleeping in a car ..... it's bloody freezing!

I know hostels/supported housing sounds bad but it really isn't always such, I've worked in many and as a temporary solution???

Anyway use the link to search for services in your area.

NorthernLights_2

Secret-Santa wrote: »

Where can he look for private ads? Newspapers? anywhere else? The estate agent also had a huge letting fee that he couldnt afford aswell as rent and deposit.

He isnt keen on staying in a hostel etc. But the housing options team didnt mention anything about this sort of thing to him. They also didnt mention council housing etc.

He can try (I can't link yet as a newbie) rightmove dot com - he needs to get an internet cafe if he doesn't have wireless and check in daily, that's a good place for studios and room shares. I know you don't want to share his details but outside London some places actually now say "no credit check" and one month deposit, if he is in the city he might get a secure place outside then work his way back once he has that secure home??

he may also (oh I am gonna get so slammed for this!:D) want to start being CREATIVE when he talks to agents, about roomshares or studios. Only as creative as they are when they advertsise some dump as a "desirable studio flat" but, I''ve been renting privately even AS a des. tenant and they still lie and try to give you a shoebox with damp corners!!!!

No, he won't get council housing, as a single young male with no massively crippling health problems, I'm in that boat and really looked into it and the answer is, there's a million families with babies and and so on out there in every district rated more vulnerable.
And I'm sure they are, but it still sucks.

Can he get put into a B&B for now - councils used to like those, for single men, they can suck but they're a step above a hostel? Wishing him the best anyway.

Secret-Santa_2

Thanks again. Hes had a look in the papers and says hes spotted a few rentals and will be giving them a call tomorrow. He just sent me a text saying he is staying in a cheap hotel tonight as its too cold in the car.

Will have a look online at housing association/charity group info that I can give him. Thank you.

tomitma

I really feel for your friend, it must seem as though you are hitting your head against a brick wall. If your friend was an alcoholic, or a drug addict, or had been released from prison, the council would have to rehouse him/her. But when you are a white, teetotal, law abiding, person you cant get help anywhere.

The rules are changing about homelessness all the time, but years ago my friend was homeless, and she booked into a Bed and Breakfast, then went to the council and explained her situation and they paid for it. I don't know if that rule still applies, Some one will let me and you know I expect.