Homelessness

If you are homeless or think you will become homeless contact us by:

emailing housing@basingstoke.gov.uk
phoning 01256 844844 at any time
visiting the council offices during office hours.

We can help you with a range of options, including:

Advising on resolving disputes with your landlord to stop your eviction.
Help to mediate with family or friends to help keep you in your current home.
Advice on renting privately.
Helping you to apply for housing benefit.
Providing information on low cost home ownership.
Advice on finding a hostel.
Arrange for debt advice, benefit information and support services.
Helping you adapt your current home to make it more suitable to your needs.

Please be aware there is high demand for housing in the borough.

Homeless Reduction Act 2017

From 3 April 2018 the Homeless Reduction Act 2017 (HRA) has come into force. This act places a duty on us to offer more support to a wider range of households, and to intervene earlier.

The HRA adds two new duties:

Duty to take steps to prevent homelessness: We can help households at risk of losing accommodation as soon as they are threatened with homelessness. This means people will get help on receiving a valid notice from their landlord.
Duty to take steps to relieve homelessness: We will help all those who are homeless to secure suitable accommodation, regardless of whether they are intentionally homeless or fall within a priority need category. This means that all eligible households are offered help to find a new home.

If neither of the above steps are successful, and a household becomes or remains homeless, then those in priority need retain their right to be accommodated, though non priority households will not be entitled to further duties.

We may not be able to re-house you where you want to live, but we will make every endeavour to secure accommodation within the borough. If no suitable accommodation is available, we may have to look in other areas. If you refuse a suitable offer of accommodation, we do not have to make you another offer of accommodation.

If we have to provide you with bed and breakfast accommodation, you will be charged for this, but you may be able to meet some of this cost through housing benefit.

If you do not meet the criteria, we will still offer you help and advice with your housing situation. This includes advice on finding your own accommodation.

To find out more contact the Homelessness team, Civic Offices, London Road, Basingstoke on 01256 845250 or via housing@basingstoke.gov.uk

Are you aware of anyone sleeping outside within the borough?

StreetLink is a website that enables the public to alert us about people sleeping rough in this borough. This service offers you a means to act when you see someone sleeping rough and is the first step someone can take to ensure rough sleepers are connected to the local services and support available to them. You can report someone sleeping rough here so that we and other agencies can provide them with assistance.

Rough Sleeper Severe Weather Emergency Protocol (SWEP)

SWEP has been deactivated (as of 6 February 2019).

Rough sleepers in Basingstoke and Deane can access emergency accommodation and support during periods of exceptionally cold weather through SWEP. Presently SWEP in Basingstoke and Deane is activated by a weather forecast predicting three consecutive nights, or more, of a temperature of zero degrees Celsius (0^oC) or lower or other significant adverse weather conditions.

When SWEP has been activated or deactivated, relevant partner agencies will be notified.

Once you are aware that SWEP has been activated, if you are sleeping rough or an individual approaches you stating that they are rough sleeping, please contact Julian House at basingstoke-outreach@julianhouse.org.uk or 01256 322791 or contact our Housing Team on 01256 844844. Please do not contact May Place House.

Emergency bed spaces may be available at Mary Rose Court.

When SWEP is activated Local Connection and No Recourse to Public Funds criteria, which are usually applied within the borough, are relaxed. However, where appropriate, local services will endeavour to reconnect individuals to their district or country of origin that day, or as soon as possible thereafter.

Severe Weather Emergency Protocol (SWEP) 2018 (PDF) [166 kb]

Help and advice

Below is a list of organisations and services that are available to people who are homeless

Julian House

An outreach service helping to support rough sleepers to move off the streets and into accommodation.

Contact
01256 322791
basingstoke-outreach@julianhouse.org.uk

The Camrose Centre

Provides short-term relief in the form of food, shelter, clothing, washing facilities and guidance.

Open Tuesdays and Thursdays 10am to 2pm

Contact
01256 327858 / 07476 342577
Camrose@BVAction.org.uk

Glebe Hall, Church House, Basingstoke, RG21 7QW

Night Light Winter Shelter

Open December to February

Direct access night shelter for homeless people aged 18 and over. Provides accommodation, food and specialist support.

Contact
lorrainelws@gmail.com

Sovereign Housing Association

Short-term temporary accommodation provided on two sites. One six bed house and 29 self-contained units. Nominations by Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council.

Contact
08009 884858
claudette.chiroodza@sovereign.org.uk

Joshua Tree, Oakley Lodge

Mary Rose Court

Mary Rose Court provides accommodation for single homeless people with support needs, including ex-offenders and people with mental health problems.

Contact
01256 472233

www.homegroup.org.uk

Mary Rose Court, Attwood Close, Basingstoke, RG21 8ZY

YMCA Hostel

The YMCA provides accommodation for young, single people aged 18 to 30 who are in housing need and have no or very low support needs.

Contact
01256 479696
www.ymca-fg.org

Eastrop Way, Basingstoke, RG21 4QD

First Point Floating Support

First Point is a homeless prevention service providing housing-related floating support and a drop-in service.

Contact
01256 423805
www.theyoutrust.org.uk/service/advice-services

The Orchard, White Hart Lane, Basingstoke, RG21 4AF

Housing services

Housing registers, housing advice, homelessness and social inclusion.

Contact
01256 844844 phone and offices open Monday to Thursday 8.30am to 5pm and Friday 8.30am to 4.30pm

housing@basingstoke.gov.uk

www.basingstoke.gov.uk

Housing Team, Civic Offices, London Road, Basingstoke, RG21 4AH

Citizens Advice Bureau

Citizens Advice Bureau operates nationally and provides advice on a wide range of topics, including housing.

http://www.basingstokeandtadleycab.org.uk/

03444 111306

The National Domestic Violence Helpline

If someone is fleeing domestic violence please contact: 0808 2000 247

Refugee action

Refugee Action can provide advice to migrants and asylum seekers: 0808 800 0007

Shelter

Shelter is a charity that works to alleviate the distress caused by homelessness and bad housing. They do this by giving advice, information and advocacy to people in housing need, and by campaigning for lasting political change to end the housing crisis for good.

http://england.shelter.org.uk/housing_advice

Veterans

Veterans Gateway is available for advice and support to people who have served in the armed forces and require advice, including on issues such as housing and homelessness.

The Veterans Gateway is an online service and telephone resource commissioned by the MoD and delivered by a consortium headed by The Royal British Legion. Within the Gateway a housing specialist service is in touch with veteran housing providers and has up-to-date information on any vacancies within the 4,000 plus housing units in the country specifically ring-fenced for veterans. Find more help and advice from the Veterans Gateway.