Getting homeless help if you’re LGBTQ+
You can count as homeless even if you have somewhere to stay. For example, if you:
experience abuse from family members or a partner
feel unsafe to express your LGBTQ+ identity where you live or stay
are sofa surfing or staying with friends
Abuse does not just mean physical violence. It includes emotional and psychological abuse, and controlling behaviour.
LGBTQ+ charities that can support you
These charities can help if you’re homeless or living somewhere unsafe:
akt, if you’re aged 16 to 25
Micro Rainbow, if you’re a refugee or seeking asylum
These charities provide emotional and practical support and advice:
LGBT Youth Scotland if you’re aged 16 to 25
Galop if you’re experiencing abuse or violence
Karma Nirvana if you’re at risk of honour-based abuse or forced marriage
if you’ve experienced a hate crime, you can use the Zoteria app to flag it and get support
Get emergency housing from the council
The council must give you temporary accommodation if you need to leave home or move out quickly. For example:
if family or friends ask you to leave
to stay safe or look after your mental health
to escape domestic abuse
You can get homeless help from any council in Scotland. Find the council’s homeless team and tell them you need to make a homeless application.
If you have a tenancy, try not to give it up until you’ve got a homeless decision.
If you're under 16, you cannot make a homeless application. The social work team should help you get somewhere to live. Find your council’s social work team on mygov.scot.
If you’re not a British or Irish citizen, your right to homeless help depends on your immigration status.
Answering personal questions in a homeless interview
When you apply as homeless, the council will arrange to interview you about your situation.
You can take a friend or support worker to your interview.
A council homeless officer will ask some personal questions. This can include questions about your sexuality or gender identity and how it affects your housing situation.
The homeless officer should ask you about these things with care and respect. Ask to speak to someone else if they do not do this.
Ask for a private interview room if you do not want to talk about things in a reception area or open office.
Tell the homeless officer about problems you’ve had with your housing. For example:
relationships with your family
staying with people or in places where you do not feel safe
problems with your mental or physical health
using drink or drugs to cope
Try to answer questions openly and explain why if you find it hard to answer.
The homeless team must ask you first if they want to pass your personal information on to others, such as housing providers.
Getting a homeless decision
The council will give you a written decision that says if you’ll be offered a permanent home.
You should usually be offered a permanent home if you’re homeless for reasons out of your control. Check our advice on decisions the council can make.
Equality law and discrimination
The Equality Act 2010 makes it illegal for the council or housing providers to discriminate based on:
sexual orientation
gender reassignment
Trans people are protected at any stage of transition. You do not need to have started hormones, had surgery, or have a gender recognition certificate. Check the Equality and Human Rights Commission guidance on gender reassignment.
If the council does not help or discriminates against you
You can:
make a complaint to the council if they treated you badly
When to get housing advice
Contact a Shelter Scotland adviser if you need help with:
getting the council to accept your homeless application
challenging temporary accommodation if it’s not safe for you
appealing a decision that says you’re not homeless or intentionally homeless
Last updated: 25 June 2024
Housing laws differ between Scotland and England.
This content applies to Scotland only.