One of the most important things we all need to live a happy and healthy life at any age is a safe and comfortable home. There are lots of different types of home, you may live with your parents or a carer or another relative. If you’re older you may live alone, with friends, in shared housing or with a partner.
Whatever your situation when you have problems at home this can be very stressful and upsetting.
Sofa Surfing
You may not realise you are homeless! If you do not have a permanent safe place to live and regularly stay at friends, relatives or even strangers homes you are considered homeless. This is often known as Sofa Surfing and there are people who can help you.
If you are aged under 16
If you become homeless or unable to stay at your current address because it is not safe or you have been made to leave you should contact the police. They can either help with your current problem at home or if you are still not able to return home they can put you in touch with the right people to arrange an emergency place to stay.
Children under 16 should contact police on 999 if they feel they are in danger or 101 if they are currently safe but homeless or about to become homeless.
If you are aged 16 and over
RCT Housing Advice
If you are aged 16 and over and find yourself homeless you will need to make us aware so that we can assess your situation and find out the best way to help you.
Housing advice will:
- Process your homeless application.
- Assess if you are in priority need for emergency accommodation.
- Offer you support services that may be able to help you.
- Offer you mediation services that may be able to help you solve disputes with parents, relatives, partners that may have led to becoming homeless.
To contact the RCT Housing Advice Centre contact 01443 495188 or you can go in person to report yourself as homeless between 9am and 5pm at Ty Sardis, Pontypridd, CF37 1DU
Llamau
Llamau are a Welsh charity who help young people who are homeless. If you are homeless yourself or worried about another young person who is homeless, Llamau can:
- Help you find the best people who can help you.
- Help you when you attend meetings with the council.
- Help you to mediate (talk through problems) with parents, relatives and partners.
To find all of the useful information and service that Llamau offer visit their Website.
Shelter Cymru
Shelter Cymru are a Welsh homelessness charity who can offer you specialist advice whether you are currently homeless, having problems at home or facing eviction. These are some of the services they can offer:
- Emergency help for young people who are homeless.
- Emergency help with money and rent issues.
- Expert legal advice for young people facing homelessness.
- Problems with landlords.
- Help and advice setting up your first home.
To contact Shelter you can use one of the following options:
RCT Youth Engagement and Participation Service
The Youth Engagement and Participation Service (YEPS) have two dedicated officers who can help young people aged between 11 and 25 with housing and homelessness issues, a Youth Homelessness Education Officer and a dedicated Youth Homelessness Officer. These can offer a range of support both within schools and in the community where you live, they can:
- Provide one to one support for young people at risk of homelessness aged 16 - 25.
- Support is provided in schools, community venues, street based and home visits.
- Provide training to young people to educate them on homelessness issues.
- Provide community and school based projects to improve young people’s independent living skills.
- Provide interventions through early targeted help including helping educate and provide information and advice for young people and their families and other agencies about the realities of youth homelessness
To find more information from YEPS visit their website.
Citizens Advice
The Citizens Advice Bureau offer advice to the public on a wide range of issues as well as your housing situation. They cover topics such as:
- Renting a property.
- Issues with landlords.
- Repairs in rented homes.
- Council Tax.
- Eviction for rent arrears.
To find a full list of all the services available visit the Citizen's Advice Bureau website.
To access the national phone service phone 0800 7022 020 – there may be some delay due to volume of calls.
To access web chat or email, click here.