Help with housing
If you are thinking about ending an abusive relationship and are concerned about what will happen to your home, it's important to get up to date advice. Don't hesitate to contact our:
-
Housing Officers – if you are a council tenant, please contact your housing officer on 01322 343 133
-
Housing Solutions Team – if you are not a council tenant, please contact Housing Solutions
We will work with you in a sympathetic and confidential way and can provide you with support and guidance on tenancy issues, including:
-
occupation orders
-
joint tenancies
-
homelessness
How we can help
We know every case is different, so we will advise you of your options. We will give you information about other agencies that offer further advice and support and, with your permission, refer you for help.
Help remaining in your home
Help is available in remaining safe in your own home - along with legal measures to stop the abusive person from coming into your home. There may be steps taken to help make the home safer. If you are a victim-survivor of domestic abuse and want to stay living in your home, please contact us to discuss the Sanctuary Scheme.
Access to safe accommodation
We can help you access Refuge or safe accommodation. Most refuges are safe houses for women to escape domestic abuse and are for women on their own or with their children. You don't need to have experienced physical abuse to stay in a refuge. Very few refuges are for men, but we can provide details of several domestic abuse charities that support men.
Leaving your home
We understand that when someone plans or makes their exit is often the most dangerous time for them and their children. You can contact us at any time if you feel that it is becoming unsafe for you to stay at home.
You don't have to decide about your tenancy immediately if you can't stay there because of domestic abuse – we can talk through all your options with you.
Making a homeless application
Contact the Housing Solutions Team as soon as it is safe for you to do so.
A Housing Officer will discuss the situation with you. You will automatically be assessed as in ‘priority need’ if you are eligible for homelessness assistance and the victim of domestic abuse.
It means that if you have no reasonable and safe accommodation to occupy, we will help you find alternative accommodation. The accommodation offered will depend on your circumstances. You may be referred to a refuge or placed into emergency accommodation while we look at longer-term options.
If you are fleeing domestic abuse, you can make a homeless application to any local council. You will not be passed back to your local council where you live if you are at risk of further abuse upon your return.
Safe accommodation
The Domestic Abuse Act 2021 requires local authorities to publish a strategy to protect and assist survivors of domestic abuse in safe accommodation. Find out more about our Domestic Abuse Strategy here.
Keeping your information private
We will not give your details, or the information you provide, to anyone without your permission unless there are serious concerns for you or your children’s safety. In cases where there are safeguarding concerns, we have a legal responsibility to share information.