Accommodation

Help we can give you

Arranging new housing

To arrange new housing, you will need to speak with the housing department in your local area. We can help you get in touch and support you with accessing different independent housing options, including social housing. 

At 16 it is important that you register for housing and register every year. 

You can learn more about housing options from our housing pages.

If you are not ready or don’t want to have your own tenancy, we can help you find alternative housing options such as supported accommodation.

Furnishing your new home

You will be allocated a grant of £1,500 to help you buy items for your new home. We will give you any unspent grant money when you leave the service.

Financial advice

We will give you advice about:

• holding down a tenancy and avoiding rent arrears
• paying bills and budgeting by using budgeting sheets and teaching you about direct debits
• helping you to claim housing benefit or Universal Credit, whichever is most relevant to your housing situation

Support with paying council tax until you are 25

All care leavers living in Bracknell are exempt from paying council tax. The Leaving Care Service will make sure that Revenue Services are aware but you will need to create a council tax account. After that, you will receive a council tax bill with a zero balance to pay.

Bracknell care leavers living outside of Bracknell will have their council tax refunded. To arrange this, you must pay your council tax and then either:

• let your personal advisor know you have paid
• email leaving-care.service@bracknell-forest.gov.uk to let the Leaving Care Service know you have paid

Housing issues

If you are aged 16 to 18 years, your personal advisor will give you and your social worker advice about housing issues. Please talk to them if you have any worries.

In a housing crisis, we can:

• help you if you are threatened with or lose a tenancy
• arrange priority to homeless care leavers aged 18 to 20 years

Staying put with your former foster carer

If this is what you and your foster carer wants, we will support you to remain with your foster carer under what is called a ‘staying put’ arrangement. This can last until you are 21.

There will be meeting about this before you become 18 and all will be explained then.

You can ask your social worker or your personal adviser more about this.