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Housing and Accommodation

Transition to Leaving Care

Before a young adult transfers to Leaving Care the options of accommodation will be discussed with them.

If the young adult wishes to remain with the foster carer and the foster carer agrees (mutual agreement), and Leaving Care think it is appropriate for the young adult to remain, this would be under Staying Put arrangement. The young adult can remain until they are more prepared for adulthood.

If the decision is for the young adult to move on, Leaving Care will offer you a semi-independent shared accommodation where the young adult will be provided with a support package to include a support worker and keywork sessions to support them to develop their life skills.

Leaving Care semi-independent standalone

Leaving Care semi-independent standalone is the transition period before applying for council tenancy. 

Following continued assessments if the young adult demonstrates they have developed life skills, independence and able to manage everyday tasks on their own i.e. cooking, cleaning, budgeting, savings, being able to manage and maintain Universal Credit account etc., they could be considered for Leaving Care semi-independent standalone which offers the young adult more independent living, which comes with responsibilities and reduced support.

Council tenancy

When the time comes and the young adult is ready to live independently, Leaving Care can support the young adult to apply for independent permanent housing and this will be written into their Pathway Plan.

Leaving Care can provide the young adult with a Setting Up Home Allowance (SUHA) of up to £2000 to help them to set up their home. The allowance can be accessed once the young adult is clear of the essential furniture or equipment they need to help furnish their permanent home. It is important to note that this is a one off payment, so should be used wisely.

***Important note***

Leaving Care will lend you up to four weeks subsistence payments to assist you while you are waiting for your claims to be processed. Once your payment has been processed, and this is backdated from the date the initial claim was made, we would therefore reach an agreement for this repayment to be made back to the Leaving Care Service.

  • Once you turn 18, to help cover the cost of your rent, you will be supported to claim Universal Credit (Housing Cost Element) or Housing Benefit depending on the type of accommodation you are living in.

Once Universal Credit (Housing Cost Element) or Housing Benefit are in payment, the Leaving Care Service will cover the remaining costs of the rent.

If you are living outside of Havering you will need to apply for Universal Credit (Housing Cost element) or Housing Benefit with your local council.

  • If you are in employment it is expected that you will make a financial contribution towards your rent after a financial assessment has been completed.
  • Once you turn 18, you will be supported to claim Council Tax (www.havering.gov.uk/benefitsapplication) depending on the type of accommodation you are living in.

The amount you receive will depend upon your income, for example, if you receive certain state benefits you may be entitled to the maximum 100% or if you are working, depending on your income, you may have to contribute towards your Council Tax bill.

If you are receiving Council Tax Support and are still experiencing hardship, you can apply for a Council Tax Hardship (https://my.havering.gov.uk/Pages/OnlineForms/Council-Tax-Discretionary-Payment.aspx#Personal-details) payment to cover any remaining balance.

If you are living outside of Havering you will need to check with your local council to see if it offers the same type of Council Tax Support scheme.

  • If you are living in Leaving Care semi-independent, you will need to sign an occupying licence/tenancy agreement. This is important because it will help you understand the importance of managing a tenancy agreement, for when you are ready to move into your own council property.

You will also need this agreement when making a Housing Benefit or Universal Credit (Housing Cost Element) claim. The tenancy agreement should have your name, the Provider’s details and the amount of rent to be paid weekly.

We thank our partners in Housing for their contributions

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