If you are an ‘eligible’ or ‘relevant’ care leaver, we will pay for your accommodation until you reach 18. As part of your Pathway Plan, your Social Worker, PA and IRO will explore what options you feel ready for ahead of your 18th birthday.
If you are over 18, your PA will help you to find suitable accommodation.
This might involve helping you to complete applications, working with housing services (alongside you), coming up with suitable options, attending housing interviews, and potentially more..
There are different options, including:
- Staying Put
- Semi-independent accommodation
- Supported living
- University accommodation
- The House Project
- Living with family or friends
- Living independently
We want to help you find what’s right for you.
Before your 18th birthday we’ll help you to develop the independence skills you’ll need as you take your next steps, and this support will continue with your PA.
Where needed, we will support you to make a Housing Benefit claim, or to access local housing allowance if you are in private rented accommodation.
You will receive high-priority access to social housing in accordance with our housing allocation policy which prioritises care leavers who want to take the next step and live independently. There’s also the option to share with a sibling or close friend in a joint tenancy arrangement. Sharing means you can divide the financial responsibilities and have company.
We will support you to remain with your foster carers under what’s called a ‘Staying Put’ arrangement, if this is what you and your foster carers want.
If you fall into the Eligible, Relevant or Former relevant category, your PA will help you to get your setting up-home grant, which can be up to £3,000.
This grant is for furnishing your first property and paying for things like furniture, a cooker, crockery, and insurance.
We’ll support your move into your first independent property, including £50 towards a removal van (for one move only.) And pay for your first week's shopping to make sure you have all you need.
When you move into new accommodation, we know it could be a big change. Getting used to having your own space can be tricky.
Your PA will tell you who will be supporting and visiting you in these early stages and will come back to see you within seven days of the move.
We will give you advice on maintaining a tenancy, including avoiding rent or council tax arrears, paying bills, and we’ll consider what additional housing support may help you.
If you are living within Greater Manchester, you will not have to pay council tax until you are 21. If you live outside Manchester, please speak to your PA about additional support that may help with moving into your new home.
We work with Manchester Housing to make sure that no care leaver working with the service will become intentionally homeless.
We’ll put you in touch with the Homelessness Service if needed.
When you are ready for your own home, you can register and create a Manchester Move account.