Advice for new refugees: housing

It is difficult for many people in the UK to find a property or a room to rent that is affordable. There is a housing shortage and rent is high, especially in the south of England.

Homelessness

If you are at risk of becoming homeless after you leave your Home Office accommodation, please contact West Berkshire Council as soon as possible, either:

• phone the Housing Team on 01635 519530 (press option 2)
• or, visit our Housing Helpdesk at the Council Offices, Market Street, Newbury, RG14 5LD

A Homelessness Prevention Officer will arrange an appointment with you and tell you what help can be provided.

For general advice, visit our homelessness support page.

Types of housing

To rent in the UK you will be asked to prove your right to rent. You can do this by giving the landlord or estate agent a right to rent share code. You can get a right to rent share code online on GOV.UK.

Social housing

In West Berkshire, social housing is housing that is owned and managed by housing associations.

It is cheaper than private renting but is reserved for those in housing need and on low income. There are specific criteria for who is eligible. You will need to apply and be assessed to see if you are eligible for social housing.

Finding social housing can take a very long time as there is a shortage across the country. In West Berkshire there are over 1000 households already registered and waiting. When looking for somewhere to live, you can concentrate on searching for private rented housing. It may also help to look at other areas of the UK to find somewhere you could afford.

Find more information on social housing in West Berkshire. You can apply for social housing on the Homechoice West Berks website.

Private renting

Private renting means renting a property from a private landlord or a company, not from a housing association. Before searching for private rented housing, it is essential to know how much you can afford to pay for rent and other bills. Find more information on budgeting here.

If you are on Universal Credit you will get further financial help to pay your rent, this is called Universal Credit Housing Element (UCHE).

The maximum you will receive from UCHE changes depending on the area you are looking for housing, and this is called the LHA rate (Local Housing Allowance). You can find the LHA rates for different areas here. If you are not working, you will need to look for a property close to the LHA rate in your area.

You can find information on how the council can help with a deposit and rent in advance here. You will receive more personalised advice if you have spoken to a Homelessness Prevention Officer.

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