Nowhere to sleep tonight? Here is where to go, who to call, and what to expect when you ask the council for emergency help.
On this page
- Key facts
- Call your council's housing emergency line
- What is "priority need"?
- If the council says it cannot help tonight
- What about rough sleeping?
- What if you have been evicted illegally?
- What happens the next day?
- Temporary accommodation is not the final answer
- When should I contact Support for Tenants?
- Sources
- Related articles
Nowhere to sleep tonight? Here is where to go, who to call, and what to expect when you ask the council for emergency help.
Key facts
- Government figures show 42,640 households in England were owed a relief duty after being assessed as homeless in October to December 2025. Statutory homelessness in England, GOV.UK
- Another 33,630 households were owed a prevention duty after being assessed as at risk of homelessness in the same quarter. Statutory homelessness in England, GOV.UK
Call your council's housing emergency line
Every council in England must run an out-of-hours homelessness service. Homeless tonight?
- Call the council's main switchboard and ask for the out-of-hours housing emergency number.
- Say you are homeless tonight and need somewhere to stay.
- Children with you? Say so straight away. That is a priority.
Contact the council where you are now, or where you hold a local connection: the place you lived the last 6 months, or where family lives.
What is "priority need"?
Whether the council must house you tonight partly turns on "priority need". The groups include:
- Households with children
- Pregnant women
- People vulnerable through disability, mental illness or old age, or after care, prison or the armed forces
- People made homeless by fire, flood or another emergency
Priority need, plus nowhere to sleep, means the council must house you for now while it does the full check.
No priority need? The council still owes advice and help, and must try to stop your homelessness. It cannot just turn you away.
If the council says it cannot help tonight
Told the service cannot house you tonight?
- Ask for the decision in writing, with the reason
- Ask about an emergency or night shelter they can refer you to
- Call Shelter's emergency helpline, 0808 800 4444 (check the website for current hours)
- Try a local night shelter or day centre you know
What about rough sleeping?
Sleeping rough, or know someone who is? Contact StreetLink (0300 500 0914 or streetlink.org.uk), which connects rough sleepers to local outreach teams. Anyone can make the referral, not just the person sleeping out.
What if you have been evicted illegally?
Locked out without a court order? That is an illegal eviction, and you hold the right to go back in. Contact the council's tenancy relations officer and the police: illegal eviction is a crime. Never treat yourself as homeless. Get urgent legal help to get back inside first.
What happens the next day?
Housed overnight, you get the full check the next day, or as soon as the council can. You explain:
- How you became homeless, or why you are at risk
- Whether you have priority need
- Your local links
- Your immigration status
Bring what documents you hold: ID, tenancy agreements, old landlord letters. But never delay contacting the council for lack of papers.
Temporary accommodation is not the final answer
Emergency housing only starts things. The council's duties run past one night's shelter, and it may have to help you find a settled home. See the related article on the full homeless application.
When should I contact Support for Tenants?
Homeless, or nearly, because of disrepair, a landlord who let the home turn unlivable? Call us on 0800 030 4669.
No upfront cost. You only pay if you win, and the fee comes out of the compensation, not your pocket. If you don't win, you pay nothing.
Sources
Related articles
- Priority need, how vulnerability is assessed
- Illegal eviction, what to do immediately
- Temporary accommodation, your rights
We review every guide at least twice a year and update it when the law changes. If you spot something out of date or wrong, email help@supportfortenants.co.uk.
Reviewed against current housing law for England and Wales as at 15 June 2026. Checked by our SRA-regulated panel solicitors. This is general information, not legal advice for your specific case. Any compensation figures or ranges shown are illustrative only, not a promise; every case is different.
Related guides
Homeless or being evicted? What to do, step by step
If you are homeless or about to lose your home, your council may have a legal duty to help. Here is what the law says, what to do today, and the free services that can help you.
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Temporary accommodation: your rights, in plain English
If your council has put you in temporary accommodation, it has to be suitable. Families with children should not be in a B&B for more than 6 weeks. Here is what your rights are and who to ask for help.
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Overcrowding: your rights and what you can do
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