Moving out of your current home into somewhere new can be a daunting or exciting time and it will be normal for you to have questions.
What options do I have if I need to move before I’m 18? Will I need to pay council tax? What if I wat to go to uni, what will my housing options be then?
It is very important that wherever you live, it is suitable for your needs and that we plan ahead to make sure we find the right place for you.
Your Social Worker or Young Persons Advisor (YPA) are there to help you with this, working through the options available to you and helping you to decide on what will be best for you at that time. All plans for your accommodation will need to be included in your Pathway Plan and agreed at your reviews.
Accommodation options for 16 and 17 year olds
While you are 16 or 17 there will be no expectation or pressure for you to move from a foster placement or residential care.
At this stage, you have the following accommodation options:
Your family
Foster care
Residential care
Supported accommodation (perhaps a shared house or flat, where you have your own room but share some facilities with other young people and receive support from a housing support officer)
Specialist accommodation (e.g. a residential school)
Accommodation options for 18 year olds
It is important that we plan for where you will live when you are 18 and ensure we work with you and your carers to prepare for this. Your accommodation options include:
Staying put (if you are in a foster placement and want to stay there after you turn 18, as long as both you and your foster carer agree, and you are engaged in education, employment or training, then we will support you to remain there)
Semi-independent accommodation (perhaps a shared house or flat, where you have your own room but share some facilities with other young people and receive support from a housing support officer)
Specialist accommodation – the Home Improvement Agency can organise aids and adaptions to accommodation where the household has disability needs
Your family
Independent accommodation (e.g. council flat or private rented) – this would require additional agreement from SCF to help with a deposit and rent in advance which, if agreed, would come from your setting up home allowance.
Council tax
As a care experienced young person, you will be exempt from paying council tax up to the age of 25.
If you are working, you will need to pay all or some of your rent, depending on how much you earn.
If you are not earning much money, your Social Worker or YPA can help you to apply for universal credit to help with your rent.
If you are struggling to pay your rent it is important you talk to your Social Worker, YPA or housing officer as soon as possible so they can work to help you stay in your home.
Univerity accommodation
If you are at university, you will need to apply to Student Finance England to receive a student loan to cover the cost of university rent.
You may require a guarantor and as your corporate parent, SCF will be your guarantor to secure you accommodation through the university.
Whilst you are at university up to the age of 21, we can pay your holiday accommodation rent if there is a need. You are responsible for your rent during term-time.
You need to discuss your accommodation options and plans in good time with your YPA so that arrangements can be made.
If you are living in a staying put arrangement, we will also continue to support these whilst you are at university.