Advice about homelessness

If you are homeless, or worried that you might become homeless, we can offer you help and advice.

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At risk of becoming homeless

Whether you rent privately, are a housing association tenant, own a property, live with someone else or have no fixed address, HomeChoice, the council’s housing options service, can provide free and confidential information and advice which may prevent you from becoming homeless, including:

  • help with finance and debts
  • tenancy support and tenancy rights
  • mortgage advice
  • what rights you have if your relationship breaks down

When staying in your current home isn’t an option, HomeChoice can help you look for a new home.

Homeless already

If you have nowhere to live, or you cannot live in your home (for example because it is not safe), this does not mean that the council has a duty to provide you with emergency accommodation.  You will need to be assessed as explained in the South Gloucestershire Council Homelessness leaflet.

Whether you are in emergency accommodation or living in a different situation, HomeChoice will continue to work with you to find somewhere to live. 

Personal Housing Plan

We will complete a thorough assessment of your housing circumstances and things that may affect this. We also make enquiries to find out if you are threatened with homelessness (or homeless already) and, if so, we will draw up a Personal Housing Plan with you.

Your Personal Housing Plan sets out things you and your case officer should do to either:

  • prevent you becoming homeless by being able to stay where you are, or
  • find a new home before you have to leave
  • help you find new accommodation if you are already homeless

Please read the homelessness leaflet for further information on the support that HomeChoice can offer and their service charter for what to expect when you contact them.

Contacting us, you can call on 01454 868005 between 8.45am-5pm Monday to Thursdays and 8.45am-4.30pm on Fridays. Once we have spoken to you, we will arrange an appointment with you if we need to see you in person.

If you become homeless outside these times, please call the Emergency Duty Team on 01454 615165.  You can also email Homelessness@southglos.gov.uk.

Sleeping rough

If you are concerned about someone who is sleeping rough, please report this through the Streetlink website www.streetlink.org.uk.  During spells of prolonged severe cold weather, help can be provided for people sleeping rough if:

  • The temperature is likely to be zero degrees or below for three nights in a row
  • The Met Office issue an amber warning of rain and wind that is likely to last three nights in a row
  • Other factors such as wind chill that could cause risk to life.

Young people

If you are worried you may become homeless whether you are a care leaver, aged 16 and 17 visit our other articles Help you if you are a care leaver and homeless and Help if you are homeless aged 16 and 17 which provide you with advice and help if you find yourself in this situation.

Experiencing domestic violence and abuse

If you are experiencing domestic abuse and would like to find out more information on moving out and finding somewhere safe to live please visit our information and advice page on Domestic abuse and housing.

Mental health

We recognise that having a mental health problem can be a reason for finding it difficult to cope with housing problems, leading to homelessness.  Being homeless can also make mental health problems, worse, please visit our article Help if you are homeless and have a mental health problem.

Leaving hospital

Advice and support if you are in hospital and will not have somewhere to live when discharged, or if you have somewhere that is not suitable, please visit our article Help if you are in hospital and homeless

Ex-military and armed forces

For more information on how we can support you if you were in the armed forces visit our article Housing and ex-services.