Homelessness Service

Information about what to do if you become or are likely to become homeless

If you are homeless, or think you may become homeless, you can obtain advice by making an appointment to see a Housing Advisor. Solihull Community Housing provides the Council's homelessness service.

How to Apply

If you are homeless or think that you are at risk of becoming homeless you should:

• Call Solihull Community Housing on 0121 717 1515 (weekdays, 8am - 6pm), or the out of hours call-handling service will take emergency calls 24 hours a day on 0121 717 1515
• Call into your nearest area housing office

Further information on homelessness is provided below and on the Solihull Community Housing website

What is homelessness?

Every local authority should deal with homeless people in the same way. The rules are set out in the Housing Act 1996 (as amended by The Homelessness Act 2002), and under this legislation, the Council must make enquiries to ensure their legal duty towards you is carried out.
Under the homelessness legislation, a person is homeless if they and their family do not have anywhere else to live in the UK or elsewhere in the world that they are legally entitled to occupy. If you have a home, other circumstances may qualify you as homeless, for example if you are subjected to violence in your current home or you have been illegally evicted. The Housing Options Team will try to prevent your homelessness by providing housing advice and explaining your other options.

Who is eligible for the service?

If you are homeless or threatened with homelessness, you are entitled to help by your local authority, unless you are subject to immigrant control, or are not a habitual resident in the UK.

Priority need

Applicants will have a priority need if:

• They have dependant children
• If you, or a member of your family, is pregnant
• You are 16-17 years old and not being looked after by Social Services
• 18-20 years old former care leaver who was looked after at any time between the age of 16 & 18
• You are homeless due to an emergency such as fire or flood.

You may also be considered as priority need if you are vulnerable due to:

• Old age
• Physical or Mental Disability
• Having been a member of the armed forces
• Aged over 21 and have previously been in care
• Having served a custodial sentence
• Having ceased accommodation due to violence or threats of violence.

Application Process

If you have applied as homeless, you will be seen by a Housing Advisor the same day, or if you have somewhere to stay, in the next 5 working days. A decision will be made as to whether Solihull Council has a duty to house you; we aim to make this decision within 33 working days.
If it is found that we have a duty to house you, you will be placed on the Housing Register, and awarded sufficient priority to ensure an offer of permanent accommodation is made as soon as possible.
You will be placed in temporary accommodation whilst this decision is being made or whilst you are waiting for an offer of permanent housing. As a homeless person you are only entitled to one offer of suitable accommodation.