Homelessness

Please note we do not offer a drop-in service at any council offices.

• Call our Customer Services Team on 01733 864064 (open Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm (from 10.45am on Wednesdays))
• Visit a Peterborough library to use a computer to complete the online form
• Go to the Garde Huis or Outside Links for support

If you experience homelessness outside of our office hours (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm), please contact our out-of-hours service - 01733 864157. You will speak to an operator who will assess the urgency of your situation and provide advice.

The same criteria is used as for the eligibility for the housing register. Any priority need or local connection will also be taken into consideration.

Priority needs

• 16 or 17 years old
• Pregnant women
• A person with dependant children
• Homeless due to emergency such as a fire, flood or other disaster
• Vulnerable due to old age or a mental or physical disability
• Some people who have left care or have spent time in care
• Vulnerable due to a custodial sentence
• Vulnerable due to time spent in the Armed Forces
• Fleeing domestic abuse

Local connection

• Having lived in Peterborough for 6 out of the last 12 months
• Having lived in Peterborough for 3 out of the last 5 years
• Having close family relatives in Peterborough
• Having employment in Peterborough
• A risk of violence if referred back to the area which you hold a local connection with
• No local connection to any other area in the UK

Intentionally homeless

Our officers will look at whether you are homeless due to your own actions. They will look at:

• What accommodation you have left
• Did you lose the accommodation due to something you did
• Was the accommodation settled
• Was the accommodation suitable

We will need to see evidence of:

• Who you are
• Your income
• That you are homeless or at risk of homelessness

If you can provide all the documents needed, we can process your application and provide support quicker. If you don’t have all the relevant documents, please let us know so we can help.

We need to see:

• Identification (ID) for you and all members of your household – e.g. passport, driving licence, birth certificate
• National Insurance (NI) number for all adults in your household – e.g. National Insurance card, wage slip, benefit award letter
• Evidence of homelessness or risk of homelessness – e.g. notice served, hospital discharge letter, mortgage repossession letter
• Contact details of who is asking you to leave the property – e.g. landlord, family member, friend
• Income – wage slips, any benefits
• Bank statements – six months of full bank statements for all accounts held
• Health information – diagnosed physical or mental health conditions (and medications) for you and your household
• Pregnancy information (if applicable) – a letter from your GP or midwife confirming expected due date (EDD) or your maternity notes
• Home Office documentation (depending on circumstances) – if you are not a UK National, you need to demonstrate eligibility for assistance by providing Home Office documentation (your share code so that we can make enquiries or your Biometric Residence Permit)

If served a notice to vacate your property by your landlord, we will also need the following tenancy information:

• How to Rent Guide
• Energy Performance Certificate (EPC)
• Gas Safety Certificate
• Deposit Protection Certificate
• Eviction Notice

We may ask you to provide further information depending on your circumstances.

At a homelessness interview, we will discuss your housing situation and the options available to you. We will ask:

• Why you are having to leave your current address
• Do you have anywhere else you can live
• To see documents and evidence that verify your eligibility for homelessness assistance (see list above) – please bring to your appointment

We will let you know what support is available:

• Help to stay in your current home (if appropriate) – we can try and help you with any benefits or arrears issues that you have, negotiate with your landlord etc
• Help you look into accessing alternative accommodation if necessary
• Work with you on a personalised housing plan to explore all other options, with a focus on private rented housing

When you approach us as homeless, we will assess your application in line with the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017. The Act sets out guidelines about who may be eligible for assistance. We have to decide using the information you give us at your homelessness interview.

We may also need to visit your home to verify your homelessness circumstances.

You will need to provide:

• Name, organisation and contact details of the referring agency
• Name and contact details of the client
• Brief details of the current situation
• Outline of current housing position
• Future housing requirements outlined by client
• Confirmation that consent has been obtained from the client

If the referral is submitted within office hours (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm), we will review and contact the professional on the same working day. If we receive a referral outside of office hours (e.g. evening, weekend, bank holiday), then we will make contact on the next working day.

In the event you are unable to access the ALERT portal, please contact Housing Needs on 01733 864064 or email us at dutytorefer@peterborough.gov.uk.