Get help to move out if your housing is affecting your mental health 

The mental health charity Mind has information on how housing can affect your mental health and what can help. 

Housing and mental health (Mind)

If your relationship has broken down 

If you are experiencing abuse go to: 

Finding emergency housing if you feel unsafe  

If you have broken up with a partner you live with, there are organisations that can help. 

• Citizens Advice – deciding what to do when you separate 
• Relate – information on managing a break-up 
• Royal Court of Justice – free legal advice on separation, divorce, children and family finances 

If you have a difficult situation at home and you want to move out, it can be hard to find somewhere you can afford.  

Some landlords do not rent to people who get benefits or have a low income, but some do. 

We have information on how to find landlords who accept tenants who: 

• have a poor credit rating, are in debt or have rent arrears 
• get benefits 
• have a guarantor who has a low income 

You can get free advice and support from: 

• Scope helpline 
• Shelter or Shelter Cymru 
• Citizens Advice 
• YMCA 

You might also be able to get help from an independent advocate if there are community advocates in your area. 

Get help from an advocate 

If you rent from a council or housing association, you will probably not have a credit check. 

A private landlord or letting agency might want to check that you can afford to pay: 

• monthly rent 
• a deposit 
• other costs such as service charges 

Landlords and letting agencies might ask credit referencing agencies about your credit history. Legally, they can ask about: 

• unpaid debts 
• missed loan payments 

The housing charity Shelter has more information on how to rent with a poor credit rating, including: 

• how to challenge a credit rating 
• how to stop being connected to someone like an ex-partner who has a poor credit rating – this is called becoming ‘disassociated’ from them 

How to rent with a poor credit history (Shelter) 

If you are in debt 

There is help available to manage debt. 

You could get up to 60 days' respite from interest, fees and court action to reduce stress and give you time to deal with your debts. 

Breathing Space, Debt Respite Scheme (StepChange) 

You should not have to pay for debt advice. You can get free debt information and support from: 

• StepChange
• Citizens Advice 
• Debt Advice Foundation 

Turn2us has an advice finder where you can find advice services in your area. Select 'debt' from the topic menu to find local services that can help you manage your rent arrears. 

Find an adviser (Turn2us) 

Debt advisers can help you contact the organisation you owe money to. They can help you agree a payment plan with the organisation.  

Debt can be stressful, but there is help available. 

Managing your mental health  

If you have rent arrears 

If you rent from a council or housing association, ask to see their policy on rent arrears. They can refuse to put you on their housing register if you have had rent arrears. 

They want to know that you are willing to repay. They are more likely to accept you if you can show: 

• you have a plan to repay your rent arrears 
• how you have repaid rent arrears in the past 

We have more information on managing rent arrears. 

If you rent from a council or housing association, they will accept people on benefits.  

It is illegal for private landlords and agencies to refuse to let you rent because you get benefits. If they refuse, this is called DSS discrimination. 

How to challenge DSS discrimination (Shelter) 

It can still be hard to find a private landlord who will rent to you. It can help if you can show them you have enough money to pay every month. For example, you could show them your benefits letters and evidence that you pay other bills on time. 

The charity Crisis has a database of landlords who rent to people who get benefits. You can search to find landlords near you. 

Help to Rent Database: Find housing advice near you (Crisis) 

The housing charity Shelter has more information. 

How to find landlords who accept benefits (Shelter) 

Landlords and letting agencies might ask you to have a guarantor.  

A guarantor is someone who will pay your rent if you are unable to. They can be a: 

• friend  
• family member 
• university scheme 
• professional guarantor (you must pay for this) 

Some landlords and letting agencies ask that your guarantor has a high income or owns their own home. 

Your landlord can ask guarantors to pay for repairs and damages if you are responsible for them and cannot afford to pay. 

Home repairs: who is responsible  

You are more likely to need a guarantor if you are a student or have a low income. 

If you do not know anyone who can be your guarantor, contact your council. 

Find your local council (GOV.UK) 

Some councils have schemes where they can act as your guarantor for a private rented home.  

If your council does not have a guarantor scheme, they can tell you if there are any charities in your area that have guarantor schemes. There may be local schemes for young people and care leavers. 

If you are a student, ask your university if they have a guarantor scheme. 

What to do if you cannot find a guarantor (Advice Now) 

You could get financial support to help cover your rent through: 

• Universal Credit housing element 
• Housing Benefit

If these do not cover your rent, you will need to pay the difference.  

You must do this from other sources of income, such as other benefits or work. 

If you rent from a council or housing association 

If you rent from a council or housing association, there are rules about how many bedrooms you can claim benefits for.  

This is sometimes called ‘the bedroom tax’. 

Check your bedroom entitlement 

If you rent from a private landlord 

If you rent from a private landlord, there is a maximum amount of Universal Credit housing element or Housing Benefit you can get.  

The amount you can get is called the local housing allowance. 

Use your postcode to check your local housing allowance rate (Directgov) 

Most landlords and letting agencies ask you to pay a deposit before you move in. They might also ask you to pay your first month’s rent in advance. 

You can get help to pay a deposit or rent in advance if you cannot afford it.  

You can ask your local council for a Discretionary Housing Payment.  

You can also see if there is a rent deposit scheme in your area: 

Help to Rent Database: Find housing advice near you (Crisis) 

Getting a Universal Credit budgeting advance (Citizens Advice) 

You can also get grants to buy household items like furniture and a fridge when you move in. 

Getting household items 

You can apply for accessible housing from a council or housing association. There is a shortage of accessible social housing. Some people are on the waiting list for years. 

Applying for accessible council and housing association homes 

If you are at risk of homelessness 

If you are at risk of homelessness, contact your local council to make a homelessness application.  

Find your local council (GOV.UK) 

Your council must help you find emergency housing if they think that all of these might apply: 

• you are homeless or at risk of homelessness  
• you are a UK citizen or your immigration status means you are eligible for help from the council 
• you have a ‘priority housing need’ or are classed as ‘vulnerable’ 

If you are eligible, the council has a legal duty to help you with emergency housing under the ‘prevention duty’ for homelessness 

If your council refuses to help you with housing or if they have discriminated against you, you can make a complaint. 

Discrimination in housing (Citizens Advice) 

Disability discrimination in rented housing 

If you are unhappy with the response, you can escalate your complaint to the: 

• local government and social care ombudsman (England) 
• Public Services Ombudsman for Wales  

Complain about a council or housing association (Shelter) 
 
Challenging a community housing decision (Shelter Cymru)