Finding Somewhere to Live

This is housing owned by the local authority or a housing association that you can live in.

Who is eligible?

Before you apply for a council or housing association home you must first check if you meet the right criteria and then submit an application to join the housing register.

We would recommend you read our Housing Allocation Policy (Opens in new tab) to see if you qualify before making a housing application. 

To meet the criteria you must

• have demonstrated that you have a housing need
• have lived in the London Borough of Havering for six continuous years
• not have savings or assets of £36,000 and over or you own your own home
• not have been, or have a member of your household been, involved in unacceptable behaviour, serious enough to make you an unsuitable tenant of the Council or other housing provider
• be entitled to public funds (Opens in new tab)

 How to apply

Apply to join the housing register.

This means renting a place to live from someone who owns a property. You might rent from:

• a person or family who owns one or more properties
• a company that owns lots of properties
• a charity or group who just rent properties to disabled people

How to find a privately rented property

Private landlords will usually advertise their properties:

• at a letting agency or an estate agent
• on an advert in the local newspaper
• on a sign outside the property
• on the internet
• on a shop noticeboard

Shared Lives means you live in a family home with a trained carer who supports you with your needs. You can live with the carer on a long-term basis or for a shorter time as respite for your family.

Who is eligible?

You can access the scheme if you are aged 16+ living in Havering and:

• have a physical disability
• have a sensory disability
• have a learning disability
• have mental health support needs
• are finding it more difficult to manage as you get older
• are leaving care / transitioning through care

How to access

To will need to have an assessment for Shared Lives through your social worker. to find out more about living with a Shared Lives carers call the scheme on 0208 519 9536 or email at info@haveringsharedlives.co.uk.

 See more about shared lives on this link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDlSdofKwQM

Semi-independent housing is for young people leaving care to help them move from care into living independently. It is designed for young people aged 15-21 with eligible needs.

How to access

For more information and to access semi-independent housing contact the leaving care team by emailing leavingcare@havering.gov.uk or calling 01708 431059.

You may be able to get financial help from the government to buy a home.

You could get:

• help with savings, through a Help to Buy ISA (UK wide) or low-interest loan (in England and Wales)
• a home through shared ownership (UK wide)

https://youtu.be/6G99MYy43lk

Scheme for disabled people

You can apply for a scheme called home ownership for people with a long-term disability (HOLD) if other Help to Buy scheme properties don’t meet your needs. For example, you need a ground-floor property.

With this scheme you can buy up to 25% of your home.

If you’re disabled, you can also apply for the general shared ownership scheme and own up to 75% of your home.

How to apply

To buy a home through a shared ownership scheme, contact your local Help to Buy agent in the area where you want to live.