If you are concerned about someone who you think is rough sleeping, you can send an alert to StreetLink.
You rent from a private landlord
Advice if you rent from a private landlord and are struggling to pay
You need to speak to your landlord as soon as you start struggling to pay your rent.
Your landlord may be understanding if you explain your circumstances, and tell them how you plan to solve the problem and pay the rent you owe.
You also need to keep paying as much of your rent as you can afford, rather than paying nothing.
If you continue missing your full rent payments, your landlord will be able to seek possession of the property through the courts. They may also want you to pay the rent you missed, even after you have left the property.
You can use Housing Benefit to help with your rent.
If you do not already claim Housing Benefit, you can use our calculator to find out if you can claim and how much you might get.
You can also view the "Entitled To" website to see if you can claim any other benefits.
If you already claim Housing Benefit, you need to make sure your information is up to date. For example, if your income has gone down you might be able to claim more. You will need to update your Housing Benefit claim with this change in circumstance.
You can also apply for a Discretionary Housing Payment if you already claim Housing Benefit. They will access your circumstances and see if you are entitled to any payments.
If you are struggling to pay your rent, you need to get help and advice about how to budget and manage your money.
You can look at:
- Money Advice Service for money advice, including debt advice and a budget planner
- Citizens Advice for information about debt and money
- Step Change for advice about debt
If you are struggling to pay your rent because you are out of work, you can look at GOV.UK for advice about finding a job.
You can also look at websites advertising jobs, such as Indeed or Reed, or contact local recruitment agencies for job opportunities.