Leaving prison and becoming homeless
If you are leaving prison or have recently been released, contact us as early as possible. We can give you housing advice and assess what help may be available based on your situation.
Support before and after release
If you are still in prison, try to plan your housing before you are released.
If you are under probation supervision, your probation officer or offender manager may be able to help you find accommodation and refer you to support services.
Some support services can also help with:
- accommodation
- finance
- benefits and debt
If you are already working with probation or another support service, tell us about this when you contact us.
How we assess your housing situation
If you apply to us for housing assistance, we may not have a legal duty to provide you with accommodation.
We will look at your circumstances, including whether:
- you are eligible for assistance
- you are homeless or likely to become homeless
- you are in priority need
- you became homeless intentionally
- you have a local connection to Cumberland
Spending time in prison does not automatically mean you will be treated as being in priority need for accommodation.
We may consider whether you are more vulnerable because of your circumstances, including:
- how long you spent in prison or on remand
- how long it has been since your release
- whether you have support from probation, a youth offending team or drug and alcohol services
- whether you have mental health problems, substance misuse issues or a history of being in care
- whether you have been able to find and keep accommodation since your release
We will assess the evidence to decide what duty, if any, we owe you.
If you are intentionally homeless
We may decide that you are intentionally homeless if you lost your previous home because of something you deliberately did or failed to do.
This may include being evicted because of:
- criminal or anti-social behaviour
- rent arrears linked to your time in prison
If we decide you are intentionally homeless, we may only be able to offer limited help with finding accommodation.
If you are in priority need, we may still be able to offer temporary accommodation for a short period while you try to secure other housing.
Restrictions on where you can live
There may be restrictions on where you can live after release.
For example, you may need to seek help from a different council if:
- bail conditions prevent you from returning to a particular area
- an anti-social behaviour order restricts where you can live
- you are managed under arrangements that require housing in an approved location
You can apply to any council for an initial homelessness assessment, but local connection and legal restrictions may affect what happens next.
Emergency accommodation
If you have nowhere to stay after release, you may need to use emergency accommodation such as:
- a hostel
- a night shelter
- bed and breakfast accommodation
Some services accept direct access referrals, which means you may not need a referral from an agency first.
Temporary accommodation is not guaranteed. We will assess your circumstances to decide whether we have a duty to provide it.
You can also look for emergency accommodation through:
Other ways to find housing
You may need to consider more than one housing option.
Private rented housing
You may be able to find housing in the private rented sector.
We may be able to advise you about:
- local housing options
- help with housing costs
- rent deposit or bond support, where available
Find out about private renting.
Housing association homes
You may also want to apply for a housing association home as a longer-term option.
Find out how to apply for social housing.
Money and support before release
You may be able to get financial help before or shortly after your release.
This can include:
- a discharge grant to help with costs immediately after release
- extra support if accommodation has been arranged for your first night
- help with benefits and budgeting
If you are still in prison, ask prison staff, a housing adviser or your offender manager what support may be available before release.