GovWire

Contact your local council

Your local authority must help if yourelegally homelessor will become homeless within the next 8 weeks.

They may be able to offer:

• advice
• emergency housing
• support to find longer-term housing
• help so you can stay in your home

You dont have to inform your council that youre a veteran, but you may be able to get additional support if you do.

If youre in England or Wales

If you know the postcode for where you are (or where you lived or where a family member lives), use it to find help from your council if youre homeless or at risk of homelessness in England or Wales.

If you dont know the postcode, search for your local councils website online or see other options below.

If youre in Scotland

See making a homeless application to your local council in Scotland.

If youre in Northern Ireland

The Northern Ireland Housing Executive can help if you are homeless or at risk of homelessness.

Citizens Advice provides further guidance on getting help with homelessness.

Contact Op Fortitude

Get in touch with Op Fortitude, the government-sponsored referral pathway that can help you find suitable accommodation or maintain your current home.

You can refer yourself, or someone else can refer you with your permission.

While Op Fortitude can provide advice to any veteran at risk of homelessness, it only provides single accommodation on an individual basis to those most at risk of homelessness.

Get in touch with the government

The Veterans Welfare Service (VWS) and Defence Transition Services (DTS) are part of the Ministry of Defence and can offer support.

As well as housing support, theVWScan provide advice and support to those that:

• require transition support with medical discharge
• have been a veteran for more than 2 years
• have an ongoing welfare need or need help to access benefits or compensation schemes

TheDTScan provide advice and support if you:

• have been a veteran for less than 2 years and are most likely to face challenges as you adjust to civilian life

Contact:

When the helpline is closed, youll be diverted to the Samaritans 24-hour helpline.

Find out more about getting additional support when leaving the armed forces.

Charities that can help

There are a number of charities that offer support to veterans who are homeless or at risk of homelessness, including:

Crisis

Crisis can help if youre homeless or at risk of being homeless?.

Shelter

Shelter can help with advice and support with housing issues and homelessness.

SSAFA - the Armed Forces charity

SSAFA offers support for homeless veterans or those at risk of becoming homeless.

Stoll

Stoll is a veterans charity and housing association. It supports vulnerable veterans to live as independently as possible and prevent homelessness.

Launchpad

Launchpad provides veterans with accommodation in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Durham and Liverpool. Residents pay rent using housing benefit, income or savings.

Scottish Veterans Residences

Scottish Veterans Residences provides emergency accommodation for homeless veterans in Scotland.

Veterans Housing Scotland

Veterans Housing Scotland provides housing support and advice to veterans in Scotland who are leaving the armed forces due to injury.

Alabar Homes for Veterans

Alabar Homes for Veterans a national charity that provides supported accommodation across England and Wales for UK armed forces veterans who are homeless or at risk of becoming so.