Housing options for young people
Council Housing
There is a waiting list for council housing and how long you wait will depend on your circumstances. You can be on the Housing Register from the age of 16, although you may not be granted a tenancy until you are 18. While you are on the register you will need to inform the Housing Department if your circumstances change for example:
- Change of address or contact details
- You become pregnant
- Medical conditions or other special circumstances
- You are being asked to leave by the people you live with
- You are being harassed where you live
Council housing is usually self-contained and unfurnished (although you may be able to get financial help for furniture from the Social Fund. For further details on the Social Fund contact Jobcentre Plus). Council tenants are usually given an introductory tenancy, which is like a trial tenancy that runs for a year. During this trial year, introductory tenants can be evicted if they do not keep to the conditions of their tenancy agreement. After the first year providing the tenancy has been maintained with no problems, the tenancy becomes a secure tenancy, which means that the tenant has more security.
