Accommodation

We will encourage you to stay safely in care until you are 18, but if you are aged 16-17 and choose to no longer live in the accommodation provided, the council will make sure that you have a safe and suitable place to live in (and have the skills to move to a supported setting rather than a care setting), this could be with a Supported Lodgings Provider or in Supported Housing.

By working together on your future plans we will provide financial support to help you to live within semi independent accommodation, until you can apply for Universal Credit and other relevant benefits when you are 18.

In preparation of you turning 18 your Social Worker with your PA and other services will work with you to explore your accommodation options. When over the age of 18 your PA and our partners will help you find suitable housing.

How we do this

• Care Leavers are a priority needs group for social housing, we will always work closely with you to try to ensure you will move to social housing in a planned way. If you reside out of the Telford and Wrekin area your PA will support you to explore if you have a priority need in the area you live.
• Supported Lodgings where you have your own room in a family home and they will support you, this could be up until your 23rd birthday.
• Shared accommodation – this might be with friends, peers, or other young people.
• Help to find a tenancy when you are ready and providing advice on how to maintain it including paying your bills and being a responsible neighbour.
• Offer practical moving in help which includes funding the removal cost of your first independent home and advice how to look after your home i.e. decorating, cleaning and reporting repairs.
• Your landlord may provide financial assistance to help you decorate your new home if this is not available from your landlord the Leaving Care Team can provide this.
• Offering independent living skills workshops on managing finances and on practical skills, such as how to cook and maintain your own home.
• Support with sourcing vacation time accommodation for care experienced young people who are in higher education.
• Supporting access to your Setting Up Home Grant of up to £3,559 in total for essential items to furnish and set up your first property as you need it up to age 25 this includes content insurance for first year independent living, TV licence, Home Starter Pack, cooker fitting, removals and decorating.
• Council Tax exemption for care experienced young people up to the age of 25.
• A reduction on your water bills with Severn Trent, who can offer up to 70% off for care experienced young people.
• Assist in helping you secure a property, for example, with your deposit costs and rent in advance costs directly or through the housing service.
• Support you with accessing the Tesco Mobile offer of free SIM card with three months data, text and calls.
• In some circumstances, the council will act as a guarantor for you if you need a privately rented property and social housing isn’t available.
• Provide Winter Weather payment of £10 per week from 1 October to 31 March in the first year of living independent.
• If you are in receipt of Universal Credit, your UC Job Coach will help you with accessing the TalkTalk Broadband Offer via the DWP.

View finanical information on our money matters page.

Staying Put and Staying Close

• A ‘Staying Put’ arrangement for if you want to stay living with your Foster Carers, and they agree, up to age 23, or until the agreed programme of education or training being undertaken on 23rd birthday is completed. Download the Staying Put leaflet.
• Your residential provider may offer a ‘Staying Close’ arrangement, which could include move-on support action and practical and emotional support from the residential provider. We will help you explore if this is an option.

Housing services

• Telford & Wrekin Council will not find any care leavers who are working with us to resolve their housing situation intentionally homeless.
• Telford & Wrekin Council will provide a named housing officer to each young person who will work alongside you and your personal advisor to provide advice, support and a personalised housing plan outlining all options for accommodation and support. The Personal Housing Plan will be a document for you to take away which sets out what you need to do and what housing services and other agencies will do to help you to reach your housing goal.
• Telford & Wrekin Council will ensure any care leaver that is homeless or faced with homelessness is classed as a priority for any suitable nominations to registered providers for social housing.
• Telford & Wrekin Council will provide financial support (where applicable) for paying a deposit on their new home.
• Where a care leaver is at risk of becoming homeless, housing or tenancy sustainment support will be provided to prevent homelessness, or where this is not possible we will provide suitable emergency accommodation. Where possible this will be within a 24/7 supported accommodation specifically for young people with services who will work intensively with you.
• Telford and Wrekin Housing Soultions duty to refer can be done 90 days before a young person turns 18 to give time to plan for suitable move on/accommodation.

Last updated: 20/03/2024 15:53