Preventing homelessness - family support
If you are a family or an expectant mother, the families housing options team will interview you and look at your individual housing circumstances.
Depending on what these are you will be provided with options to assist you and your household. Housing options offered are tailored to meet your individual circumstances.
We offer a mediation service to those households who are homeless as a result of family/friends asking them to leave. The mediation service provides impartial practical advice and will attempt to mediate between parties, including your landlord or your household members with a view to preventing your homelessness by working through problems within the home.
If you are in housing need, you may be referred to the homeless prevention service called Staying Put (pdf 228KB). Through a homelessness prevention caseworker, they assist with a wide range of housing issues including:
- Housing benefit (including back-dating payments)
- Homelessness prevention
- Improving your knowledge of the available housing options
- Security of tenure
- Tenancy sustainment
- Liaising with your landlord over tenancy issues
- Rent arrears
- Relationship breakdown
- Possession proceedings
- Disrepair
- County court representation if required
- Referral to other agencies
This is a free and confidential service available to all households living in Hammersmith and Fulham. Interviews are offered on an appointment basis only.
If you are a pregnant teenager or a young mother and we are unable to prevent homelessness we may refer you to our mother and baby unit. This unit will provide you with support and guidance around parenthood and prepare you to live independently with your family.
For more information about staying put:
ยป Download our Staying Put services leaflet (pdf 228KB)
More information
Childcare costs - help with childcare costs.
Childcare places - funding.
Children's information service
Helplines:
- One parent family helpline
Provides independent, confidential, free information and advice
0800 018 5026
www.oneparentfamilies.org.uk (opens new window) - Working families legal helpline
Helps parents with information on benefits, debt, and a range of flexible working patterns
0800 013 0313 7243
www.workingfamilies.org.uk (opens new window)
Jobs and training for lone parents: www.newdeal.gov.uk (opens new window).
Download Jobs - thinking about returning to work? (pdf 607KB) to help you find the right job and transform your life.
Teenage parents - help with money for teenage parents studying (opens new window).
Need a family friend? For more information about the family befriending and mentoring service for parents with young children, visit http://familyfriend.org.uk (opens new window).
