If you are homeless

If you are outside of London, we recommend you do not come to the capital. There are many more homeless people than beds to house them so you could easily end up on the street. Instead contact:

  • Your local council's housing department - you may be eligible for immediate housing
  • Citizen's Advice Bureau
  • Shelter Line - Shelter's free phone national housing advice line on 0808 800 44 44

Finding an affordable place to live in London is very difficult. If you are currently in accommodation it is best to do everything possible to keep it. There are support services available that can advise you on how to keep hold of your current accommodation. You can find details of these services and other services for homeless people in London in our In Reach Directory.

If you are street homeless in London you must first have an assessment done by a street outreach team or someone at a day centre as most quick access accommodation can only be accessed through a referral from an approved agency. In some cases, if you are considered high priority then you could eventually be found a hostel where you can stay with support if you are entitled to state benefits.

You can also find full details of both residential and non-residential services for homeless people in London on the Homeless London website.

Related content