How can the council help me?

This content applies to Scotland only.

Housing laws vary between Scotland and England. This page applies to Scotland only. Get advice relating to England

This page explains what kind of help the council can offer you if you ask them for help because you are homeless or think you are about to become homeless. You may be offered advice on your housing options, help to find a new home, somewhere to stay temporarily, or a permanent home.

Who can get help from the council?

You may be able get help from the council if you:

• do not have a home of your own, for example because:
  • you are sleeping on a friend's sofa
  • you're staying with relatives
• are going to have to leave your home, for example because:
  • your home is overcrowded
  • your home is no longer suitable for your needs because you are elderly or disabled
  • you have been asked to leave by your landlord
  • you can't pay your mortgage.

If this is you, you may be homeless or threatened with homelessness.

What help can I get?

The help you can get will depend on your personal circumstances.

• If you are threatened with homelessness, the council will see if it can prevent you having to leave your home.
• If you have to leave your home or you are already homeless you will either be given advice and assistance to find a new home, or you may be entitled to permanent housing.
• If you have nowhere to stay while the council is looking into your personal circumstances, you should be given somewhere to stay, temporary accommodation.

Advice and assistance

The council must give advice and assistance to most people who approach them about not having anywhere to live. This could be to help you stay in your current home or to help you find a new one.

The advice and assistance you get will depend on your situation but it can include information about:

• whether or not you may be able to stay in your own home
• your housing options
• housing providers and the availability of housing in your local area
• any help that may be available to help you pay for accommodation
• legal advice.

You can find out more about advice and assistance here.

Temporary accommodation

You can be given temporary accommodation while:

• the council looks into your circumstances
• you look for a new home yourself
• you wait for a permanent home from the council or a housing association
• you wait for the council to have another look at a decision that you don't agree with.

Permanent housing

In some cases the council may have to find you a permanent home. Unfortunately, the council cannot give a home to everyone who does not have one, and priority is given to people who need more help to secure accommodation, such as families with children or people who are vulnerable.

How can I get help from the council?

If you are already homeless, or think that you might be about to become homeless, you can ask the council for help by making a homeless application. Find out how to contact the council and how to make a homeless application here.