Housing advice for care leavers

If you are a care leaver you may be able to get housing and other help from Ealing housing options or Ealing children’s services. The help you get mainly depends on your age. Ealing Council children’s services is responsible for finding you somewhere to live until you turn 18. If you are aged between 18-25 years and are a homeless care leaver, Ealing housing solutions service will provide you with advice, support and guidance.

The council’s ‘local offer’ for care leavers, sets out additional support that the leaving care team can give you with your housing.

Housing help for 16 and 17-year-old care leavers

You will be able to get help, including assistance in getting somewhere to live from Ealing Council children’s services, if:

  • you have already left care, and:
  • you have spent a total of at least 13 weeks in care since the age of 14, and:
  • part of that time in care was while you were 16 or 17.

It doesn't matter if those 13 weeks were not all at the same time. You have different rights if you have spent less than a total of 13 weeks in care, or you want to leave care before your 16th birthday.

Financial support for 16 or 17-year-old care leavers

Most 16 or 17-year-old care leavers are not eligible for benefits. The children’s services department of Ealing Council must help you by:

  • providing housing or helping you find and keep your own place
  • supporting you financially by assisting with your rent, food, bills, travel costs for education and training, clothing, pocket money and childcare if you need it
  • giving you any other support, you need, such as help with continuing your education, finding work or dealing with personal problems.

You can usually only claim benefits if you are a 16 or 17-year-old care leaver and you are also a single parent or unable to work because of a disability or illness. Find out more from Turn2Us about benefit rules for care leavers.