Homelessness and Housing Advice

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Are you 16/17 years old and threatened with homelessness? Help is available!

If you have approached the Council because your parents have or are threatening to evict you from the family home, we will want to know the reasons why and we will try to resolve these issues with you.  If you are 16/17 years of age we will also involve Social Services as we will want them to carry out a Child in Need Assessment.  If you are under 16 years of age we are not allowed to deal with your case by law and we will refer you to Social Services.

We will contact your parent(s)/guardian and discuss with them the actions/issues that led to this situation.  We will require you to provide us with contact details so we can do this.  We will telephone your parent(s)/guardian and we will encourage you to talk to your parent(s)/guardian also, with a view to revolving issues so you can return home.

We will arrange a home visit so we can discuss all the issues in the home environment where appropriate.

At 16/17 years of age, private landlords will not grant you a tenancy without a guarantor and Housing Associations do not give tenancies to 16/17 year olds.  You can join the Housing Register but you do not have to be 18 years of age before you can hold a tenancy in your name.  We can refer you to specialist accommodation providers who specialise in supported accommodation for young people. In Hyndburn this includes:

Breathing Space Lancashire

If you are between 14 and 25 Breathing Space Lancashire is here to help if you are at risk of homelessness. The project is here to provide the best advice, guidance and signposting to young people, their friends and families so that together young people can be safe”.

www.breathingspacelancs.org.uk

View the Are you 16 or 17 and homeless? leaflet

‘Your Space’

Hyndburn Borough Council has helped fund the specialist Homeless Prevention Project ‘Your Space’ for young people delivered by Ynot Aspire Ltd, a local charity in Hyndburn.

More details can be found at https://ynotaspire.org.uk/your-space/your-space

‘Your Space’ is a project that works specifically with homeless young people and those who are at risk in the borough. Our borough has limited emergency provision for homeless young people. They are able to offer a single point of contact for these young people. They team you up with one of their amazing volunteers to offer one-to-one support when you need it most.

In 2014, Ynot Aspire worked directly with 15 homeless young people in the 16-25 age group who had found themselves forced out of the local area when emergency accommodation/shelter was unavailable. When this happens, it leaves those young people not only vulnerable but also unsupported and cut off from any sense of normality.

We have helped young people with:

  • Rehousing
  • Getting Housing Benefit and other benefits put in place
  • Improving family relationships and removing the threat of homelessness
  • Putting support in place to help sustain their tenancy
  • Re-engaging in education/training or employment

We are also now extending our mentoring service to any young person who feels that they would benefit from some extra support such as:

  • To reduce the risk of isolation
  • Help with accessing services or activities
  • Someone to talk to in confidence

Our trained mentors are here to offer a listening ear and a supportive arm to those young people who need it.

If you are a young person who is homeless or at risk of becoming so, or feel you could benefit from the support that one-to-one mentoring can offer, then please contact us on 01254 352 592, email us at info@ynotaspire.org.ukor fill in the online referral form.