Housing and Homelessness Advice - Drop-In Home
Everyone has the right to a safe place to call home.
The Zone aims to enable young people to access safe, suitable and secure accommodation. Available to anyone aged 13 – 25 years, the Drop-In service will provide information, guidance and with you a support worker will explore your housing options with you.
We can provide information on homelessness, support young people in housing crisis and through early intervention work aim to prevent homelessness. If you are homeless, may become homeless, are ‘sofa surfing’ with friends, living in temporary accommodation, been served an eviction notice or have been asked to leave the family home, come in and speak to one of our volunteers and see how we can help.
This service is available to access at any time Monday - Friday 12pm - 5pm.
IF YOU ARE IMMEDIATELY HOMELESS – VISIT EARLY IN THE DAY.
IF IT IS OUT OF WORKING HOURS - SEE USEFUL CONTACT NUMBERS AND WEBSITE LINKS BELOW.
LEAVING HOME?
If you are Under 18 years:
There has been a recent change in law and The Zone are funded (By Plymouth City Council – Services for Children and Young People) to provide support for young people in need of housing advice. All young people under the age of 18 will now be referred to THe Zone for support with their housing.
If you are 16 or 17 years old, homeless or may become homeless, you are now entitled to an assessment of your housing situation, and on what areas you may need support in to be able to live independently.
The Zone Volunteers can be there to talk to about your housing situation, support you if you are facing homelessness from your parents/ carers home, support you if you are making a planned move from home and refer you to Plymouth City Council for an assessment*.
(*This is a joint assessment with Housing Advice and Plymouth Services for Children and Young People. This will take place with a Social Worker and Housing Officer who will assess what support you are entitled to.)
If you are considered homeless and in need of some support, you may be offered to become a Looked After Child (LAC). This will mean you are provided temporary accommodation by Plymouth City Council until your long term housing options are explored.
If you accept the support that is provided you will be a allocated a worker within the 16+ team at Children's Services, who will work with you to make a planned move into suitable accommodation and ensure you can access other support services needed to allow you to work towards independent living.
If you are rough sleeping, sofa surfing, living in temporary accommodation, staying with other family, or are likely to become homeless, access the ‘Drop-In’ service and talk to someone about your situation.
(For more information see: House of Lords Judgement: G V Southwark, The Children’s Act Sec. 17 & Sec 20 and R V Hammersmith and Fulham.)
IST Support:
The Intensive support was introduced to support under 18 year olds, who are homeless (or at risk of homelessness) from the family home.
IST is run by Plymouth City Council’s Youth Service and is made up of a team of youth workers, who will support you in exploring your housing options.
This will be done by completing a CAF (Common Assessment Framework), with your worker, of your needs and housing situation.
IST can help you access other support services you may need and can provide mediation between you and your parents, to enable you to remain at home. If you are unable to remain at home, your worker will help you find suitable temporary accommodation, whilst you consider your options and make a planned move.
If you are felt to be at risk or you are homeless no where safe to stay, then IST will refer you for a joint assessment at Plymouth City Council (see above).
For 18 years +:
If you are 18 years or above and are homeless, sleeping rough, ‘sofa surfing’, living in temporary accommodation or wanting to make a planned move, The Zone can provide information on homelessness and advice on your housing options.
How we can help:
Our aim is to enable the young people we work with to make informed choices. The support we offer might include:
- Referrals to projects within The Zone including the LIFE Project, Box scheme, Insight, Icebreak and other internal projects.
- Information on homelessness and services for rough sleepers.
- Support accessing emergency accommodation.
- Information on Benefits and support making new claims.
- Use of phone to contact housing departments, housing agencies, letting agents, landlords and benefits agencies etc.
- Liaising with other agencies on your behalf.
- Assistance with completing housing applications and housing benefit forms.
- Referrals to local agencies and services.
- Referrals to supported housing projects and The Hub Panel (18 – 24yrs)
- Referrals made to: Children's Services, Devon and Cornwall Children's Services, Homeless Unit, Housing Advice, Plymouth Domestic Abuse Service (PDAS), PATH (Rough Sleepers & Housing Advice), Supported Housing projects, Shelter, Devon Home Choice, Citizen’s Advice Bureau, Job Centre, Careers South West (previosuly known as Connexions), Foodbank and other support services.
Useful Contacts:
Plymouth - Service’s for Children & Young People; 01752 308 600
Housing Advice (Civic Centre): 01752 305 950/ 305 496
PCC Homeless Unit (Civic Centre): 01752 304 063
IST (Intensive Support Team) - 01752 312561
PATH (Plymouth Access to Housing) – 01752 305955
PATH (Rough Sleepers Team) – 01752 293718
Salavation Army – 01752 562170
Shelter Housing Advice Helpline - 0808 800 4444 Helpline
(Opening hours are 8am - 8pm Monday to Friday and 8am - 5pm Saturday - Sunday.)
Shelter's local advice office in Plymouth can be contacted on 0344 515 2399.
For more information please click here.
Devon – Social Care: 01392 438 881
Cornwall – Social Care: 0300 1234 101
George House (George Place): 01752 664 441
Shekinnah Mission (Bath Street): 01752 203 480
The Hub Panel; 01752 256 880
Devon Home Choice; 01752 305 496
Women’s Refuge; 01752 562 286
Big Issue (Union Street): 01752 217 046
Colebrook On Track Floating Support; 01752 211 251
Refugee Housing Support; 01752 251 160
Refugee Action; 01752 235 030
Soup Run:
Hot soup, tea & coffee, pasties, sandwiches and snacks. Can also offer blankets, sleeping bags etc. From 9pm till midnight.
9pm @ Charles Cross (Charles St), 9.45pm @ The Hoe, Wedding Cake, 10.15 @ Devils Point (Cremyll St), 11pm @ Devonport (Kings Rd)
Benefits:
C.A.B. (Citizens Advice Bureau)- 08448 269 717 or 08444 111 444
Child Benefit; 0845 302 1444
Old Tree Court – Exeter Street: 0845 604 3719
Devonport: 01752 616 200
1st Contact Benefits Claim Line (& Rapid Re-claims): 0800 0556 688
Crisis Loans (social fund): 08000 327 952
National Debtline - 0808 808 4000
National Insurance Enquiries: 0845 302 1479
Plymouth Debt Agency; 01752 208 126
Working Links: 01752 672 007
Other:
Childline: 0800 11 11
Runaway Helpline: 0808 800 7070 (24 hours freephone)
Samaritans: 08457 90 90 90 (24 hours)
National Domestic Violence Helpline: 0808 2000 247 (24 hours, freephone)
Out of Hours Numbers:
Plymouth – Services for Children & Young People: 01752 346 984 / 01752 305 141
Homeless Unit: 01752 304 496
Shelter: (free housing advice helpline): 0808 800 4444 (8am – midnight)
