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Young person leaving care
If you are aged 18, have left care or are about to leave it and you live in Hertfordshire, then Hertfordshire County Council has a duty to support you on a number of issues up to the age of 25. For example, they will help you put in place a "pathway plan" which covers what you will do about a place to live, managing your life including managing your money, education and training, getting a job, your financial needs like applying for benefits, and special help if you can't live by yourself because you have particular needs.
Hertfordshire County Council has all the information you need on what you can expect from them which is available on their website. Usually, Hertfordshire County Council Childrens' Services will have been talking to Watford Borough Council about your need for a place to live well before you are 18 years old and your care placement ends.
If you are homeless now or think you may be homelessness in the next 56 days, Hertfordshire County Council has a Duty to Refer you to a local authority of your choice for help and support about finding a place to live.
You can also get in touch with Watford Borough Council yourself and get advice on what to do next if you need a place to live. To do this, you should fill in the council's online Housing Advice Form here and someone from the council will be in touch with you five working days or will see you straightaway if you have told us you are homeless now or going to be within 3 days of your application.
If you have nowhere to live and you are between 18 and 20 years old (other than students) and while under 18, you were, but are no longer looked after, accommodated or fostered, you will be a priority under the homelessness law. This means the council will provide you with temporary accommodation and work with you to help find a settled place for you to live in. A settled place to live in could be either in a private rented place or in a flat owned by a housing association.
To find out more about what to expect from a local authority dealing with your homelessness application see Shelter's advice.
Information about finding a private rented home. Where the council accepts someone as priority homeless, you may be able to get help to find a private rented home through the council's HomeLet scheme.
To apply to apply for a home with a housing association, you can apply to the council's Housing Register.
