Introduction to accommodation

There are several types of Care Leavers status, this can affect a young person's entitlement to financial help where accommodation is concerned. Please read the various care leaver status information below. For full details on financial support for Care Leavers please contact the 16+ Service.

Eligible young people

Eligible young people are those 16 to 18-year-olds (up until their 18th birthday) still looked after by the Department, so their accommodation costs will be met in the same way as other looked after children in foster care, residential placements and supported lodgings.

Relevant young people

Relevant young people are those 16 to 18-year-olds (up until their 18th birthday) no longer looked after, but who cannot claim housing benefit for their accommodation, the 16+ Service will meet rent and deposit payments until the young person's 18th birthday.

Former relevant young people

Former relevant young people who are not looked after, once they reach the age of 18, will receive support and guidance in completing a housing and council tax benefit form, so that their rent is covered by the local authority.

What to consider when taking on a property?

Fair rent

When taking on new private landlords properties, the matter of fair rent arises. This needs to be considered when the young person moves into a flat, if the young person intends to stay in that flat post 18 it is in the young person's interest to ensure that the rent is affordable. Once a young person becomes 18 they can apply for housing benefit, but this will only pay up to what is considered a fair rent.

In some circumstances a fair rent officer will visit a property, the property will be assessed on its type, its size, location, state or repair, age and if it is furnished. A decision on how much housing benefit the young person will receive towards the landlord rent will be recorded. The landlord rent can sometimes be more than housing benefit considered to be fair.

The young person is then liable to pay the short fall. If the young person is on a budget it is important to make sure the rent is fair, this cannot always be done when taking on a new flat, so the 16+ Accommodation Service work hard to make sure rents are kept as low as possible. If the rent is high and there is little property to chose from then the 16+ Accommodation Service will often move the young person before they turn 18 into a council flat where the rent is lower.

Tenancy agreements

Young people under the age of 18 cannot by law hold a tenancy. In these cases the local authority will be the tenant and will allow the young person to occupy the property, subject to abiding by the rules of the agreement to occupy.

The 16+ Service has a number of furnished flats available as 'training flats'. These would be the preferred option for people leaving care or seeking to live independently prior to becoming 18. Visit our accommodation for care leavers page for more information.

Utility bills

The 16+ Accommodation Service arrange for a water meter to be fitted to a property where possible, so that the young person is only billed for the amount of water they use. This helps the young person to budget as the bills are more manageable. Key meters for gas and electric are also arranged where possible. It is always the intention of the 16+ Accommodation Service, when moving a young person into a property, to seek affordable rented accommodation that is individually suited. Visit our accommodation for care leavers page for further information on the type of accommodation the 16+ Service provide to young people.

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