Council help
How to get council housing if your host refuses. Homelessness Reduction Act, step-by-step, documents, rights.
If your host matching is ending or has ended — your local council (municipal authority) must help. This is law, not charity. The key is to approach them early and correctly.
📜 What is the Homelessness Reduction Act
⏰ Three phases of help
Prevention Duty — before losing home
When to apply: as soon as you know you are losing accommodation. Even if it's "in a month" or "in 2 weeks" — don't wait.
What the council does:
- Develops a Personalised Housing Plan (PHP) — written help plan
- Helps negotiate with the host if possible
- Searches for private rent options for you (often with council deposit)
- Connects you with charity and support services
- Checks other housing options (re-matching via HfU)
Relief Duty — already homeless
When: host has evicted you, you are on the street or staying with friends, your address is no longer yours.
What the council does:
- Active search for housing for you
- Interim accommodation (temporary housing) — if you have Priority Need
- Considers Priority Need assessment (see below)
- Contacts landlords directly
Main Housing Duty — long-term help
The council must provide permanent housing (social housing or guaranteed private landlord) — but only if you are:
- Eligible (Ukrainians on HfU — yes)
- Homeless
- Unintentionally homeless (not your fault)
- Have Priority Need
- Have local connection (live in the council area)
⭐ Priority Need — who gets immediate help
📋 Checklist: documents for the council
What to bring
- Ukrainian passport (internal + foreign)
- BRP or eVisa share code (get at gov.uk/view-prove-immigration-status)
- Visa grant letter (HfU confirmation)
- National Insurance Number (NI number) — if you have one
- Letter from host about ending sponsorship OR eviction messages
- Current address + date you must leave
- Children's documents (birth certificates)
- Marriage certificate (if applicable)
- Proof of income (payslips, UC statement)
- Medical documents (if you have disability/pregnancy)
- Bank statements for the last 3 months
- Proof of local connection (job, children's school, GP registration)
🚶 Step-by-step action plan
Find your local council
At gov.uk/find-local-council enter your postcode. The council for your actual area (where you live, not where you are registered) is the one that must help.
Contact the housing options team
On the council website find "housing options", "homelessness", or "housing advice". Call or submit online. Say: "I am on Homes for Ukraine visa and I am at risk of homelessness."
Attend the housing options interview
Bring all documents from the checklist. Explain the situation, show evidence. If you need an interpreter — the council must provide one (free).
Get your Personalised Housing Plan (PHP)
The council must give you a written PHP with steps both they and you must take. Read it carefully — this is your "contract" with the council.
If refused — demand a written decision
Any council decision must be in writing (Section 184 letter). If they verbally refuse — insist on the letter. This gives you the right to a Section 202 review within 21 days.
🚨 Red flags — the council is doing it wrong
- "You have no local connection — go to another council" (often incorrect)
- "You are intentionally homeless because you left the host" (no, if there was a valid reason)
- "HfU visas don't entitle you to help" (this is a LIE — you are eligible)
- "Return to your host, negotiate" (without advocacy or risk assessment)
- Refusing to give a Section 184 letter (it is your right to demand)
In such cases — contact Shelter (free housing help), Citizens Advice, or find a free legal aid solicitor specialising in housing.
❓ Frequently asked questions
Updated: 9 April 2026