Step 1 - Contacting the council
The Homeless Team can offer advice if you are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. If you are at risk of homelessness or are already homeless, we will organise for a homeless assessment to be completed if you are eligible. You may be offered emergency or temporary housing if you are in priority need and eligible.
Am I eligible for help?
You do not need to be eligible to ask for help - we can still offer advice for free. However, we are only able to offer assistance in finding accommodation or providing temporary accommodation if you have a legal right to access public funds.
Further information on eligibility dependent on immigration and residence status can be found on Shelter's website.
Do I need a local connection?
You don’t need to have a local connection to ask for help. However, if you don’t have a connection to Rotherham, we may refer your application to another authority. We will look at how long you've lived in the area, if you work in the area or if you have close family in the area.
If you want to join the Council's Housing Register, then you need to have a local connection to Rotherham, this is in line with our Housing Allocation Policy. You can view the Housing Allocation Policy in more detail.
Intentionality
If you have intentionally made yourself homeless, either because of something you have done or failed to do, then the Council may not assist you. You could have made yourself intentionally homeless if you were evicted due to anti-social behaviour or fell behind in your rent when you could afford to pay it. As part of your assessment, we will look at your circumstances before we reach a decision on intentionality.