Help from the council's housing department
This content applies to Scotland only.
Housing laws vary between Scotland and England. Get advice relating to England
Nowhere to stay, sleeping on a friend's sofa, got a notice to quit? You may be able to get help from the council. If you don't have a home of your own, you cannot stay where you are, or you're worried that you will have to move out soon, the council may be able to help you stay in your home or find somewhere else to live. To get this help, you need to go to the council's housing department and ask to make a homeless application. This section has details about help the council can give to anyone who has nowhere to live or is faced with losing their accommodation. It explains what should happen if you ask the council for help.
How can the council help?
Find out what kind of help can the council can offer you if you ask them for help because you are homeless or think you are about to become homeless.
Contacting the council
If you have nowhere to stay or are worried about having to leave your home you can ask the council for help by making a homeless application. Contact the council to make an application.
Who can apply?
The council has to accept an application for help from anyone who appears to be homeless or is likely to become homeless within two months. However, some people are not eligible for help.
Making an application
What happens when you go the council to make a homelessness application. You will need to fill in a form and have an interview with a homelessness officer.
After applying
After your interview with a homelessness officer, you should be offered accommodation while the council makes inquiries.They may need to store your property as well.
Homelessness tests
A council must make inquiries into your situation. This will determine what kind of help the council can give you. This section gives explains the inquiry process.
The council's decision
Once the council has decided about your homelessness application, it must send you a letter explaining the reasons and what happens next. You may be able to challenge their decision.
Advice and assistance
If you make a homeless application and are eligible for help you'll be entitled to advice and assistance from the council. Find out what type of advice and assistance you can expect to receive.
Temporary accommodation
On making a homeless application to the council, you'll be provided with somewhere to stay while the council carries out its inquiries.
Permanent accommodation
If you pass all the council's homelessness tests, you'll be offered a permanent home. Find out what this means, how the offer is made and what you can do if you're not happy with the offer.
Other options
If you are homeless and the council's housing department has said that it can't help you, you may have other options. Find out what you may be able to do in this situation and what help you can get.
Challenging the council
If you disagree with a decision the council has made on your homeless application, it may be possible to challenge the decision and get it overturned.
Applying if you're disabled
Check if specific issues affecting disabled people who are homeless affect you. Find out what happens when you go the council and what you can do if the council won't help you.
Homelessness and children
Find out what help you can get if you are homeless and have children.
EU Nationals
Find out when you can expect to receive help if you become homeless and are from outside the UK but within the European Union.
A8 EU Nationals
If you come from the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, and Sloveni, find out what homelessness rights you have in Scotland.
A2 EU Nationals
If you're from Bulgaria or Romania, find out if you can expect help if you become homeless in Scotland.
