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.
On this page
Direct answer
If you are homeless, or you will be within the next 8 weeks, your council may have a legal duty to help you under the Housing Act 1996, Part 7. Go to your council's housing options team as soon as you can, do not wait until the last day. For free help, call Shelter on 0808 800 4444 or contact Citizens Advice. This is not something Support for Tenants handles, but we want you to know where to turn. If your current home is in disrepair, that is something we can help with, call us free on 0800 030 4669.
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
- A further 33,630 households were owed a prevention duty after being assessed as threatened with homelessness in the same quarter. Statutory homelessness in England, GOV.UK
Do not leave until you have to
If your landlord wants you out, they usually have to go to court and get an order first. A text, a letter, or being told to "just leave" is not the same as being legally evicted. Leaving too early can affect the help you get. Get advice before you move out.
Your council may have to help
The council has duties to people who are homeless or threatened with homelessness:
- Prevention. If you may become homeless within 56 days, the council should take reasonable steps to help you keep your home or find another one.
- Relief. If you are already homeless, the council has a duty to help you find somewhere for up to 56 days (this is the "relief duty" under section 189B, added by the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017).
- Priority need. If you are in priority need (for example you have children, or a serious health condition), the council may have to provide somewhere for you to stay.
Read Shelter's plain guide to council homelessness duties.
What to do today
- Contact your council's housing options team. Ask to make a homelessness application. Keep a note of who you spoke to and when.
- Take your papers. Any eviction notice, court papers, your tenancy agreement, and ID.
- Get free advice. Shelter, 0808 800 4444, open 8am to 8pm on weekdays and 8am to 5pm at weekends. Or Citizens Advice.
- If you have nowhere to sleep tonight, tell the council it is an emergency.
Can you be evicted for complaining about repairs?
If you rent privately and you complained about disrepair, the law gives you some protection from a "no-fault" eviction. See can I be evicted for complaining.
How we fit in
Support for Tenants helps with housing disrepair claims, not homelessness or eviction defence. If your home is in poor repair (damp, mould, leaks, no heating) and your landlord will not fix it, you may have a claim, and we can help. Call us free on 0800 030 4669, send the short form, or message us on WhatsApp. We will give you an honest answer, with no pressure.
Sources
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 23 May 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 and not guaranteed; every case is different.
Related guides
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.
Read
Overcrowding: your rights and what you can do
If your home is too small for your family, the law may class it as overcrowded. Here is what counts as overcrowding, what it means for a council move, and where to get help.
Read
How to get rehoused: the council housing register explained
If your home is too small, unsafe, or wrong for your health, you may be able to move through the council housing register. Here is how it works and how priority is decided.
Read
Still stuck?
Call us free or start a claim online. We'll tell you honestly whether you have a case worth pursuing.