Find help near you

Free places to get housing advice, homeless help, benefits support and emergency food, wherever you are in the UK.

Need help tonight? Call your council's homelessness team, or Shelter on 0808 800 4444 (free). If you see someone sleeping outside, tell StreetLink on 0300 500 0914. If you are in danger, call 999.

Need this page in another language? English (easy read), Español, Polski, Română, Português, Français, العربية, اردو.

We link to official services and do not collect your postcode. When you use a postcode finder below, you type it on that other website, not ours. Opening times can change, so check on the service's own site. Not sure what you need? Try our step-by-step plan.

Jump to: Anywhere in the UK · England · Liverpool and Wirral · Wales · Scotland · Northern Ireland

Anywhere in the UK

• Homeless help from your council: type your postcode on GOV.UK to see what your local council says about homelessness help.
• Find your council: search all 296 councils in England and go to their homeless help page.
• Find your local council by postcode (GOV.UK).
• Find your local Citizens Advice: free, confidential advice on housing, benefits and debt.
• Contact your Jobcentre about Universal Credit (GOV.UK).
• Find a foodbank (Trussell). Many do not need a referral, but some do, so check first.
• Find your local Mind for mental health support.
• Samaritans, free at any time: 116 123.
• Domestic abuse? National Domestic Abuse Helpline (England), free: 0808 2000 247.
• Under 18, or 16 to 25 and homeless? Centrepoint helpline: 0808 800 0661. Under 18: Childline 0800 1111.

England

• Shelter housing advice and free helpline 0808 800 4444.
• Help to Claim (free support with a new Universal Credit claim): 0800 144 8 444, 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday. Details.
• StreetLink (England and Wales): tell them about someone sleeping rough, on 0300 500 0914.
• Something gone wrong with your home, rent, deposit or benefits? Fix my problem.
• Our guides: all guides, letter templates, deadlines and contact log, document checklists, housing allowance calculator.

Liverpool and Wirral

This is where we know the area best.

• Liverpool City Council: homeless or at risk.
• Wirral Council: help if you are homeless or might lose your home.
• How to move on from supported living in Liverpool and Wirral.
• Property Pool Plus: how bidding for social housing works.
• Your first week after moving on.
• Register for a room with us in Liverpool and Wirral.

Wales

• Shelter Cymru urgent helpline: 08000 495 495, 9am to 4pm, Monday to Friday.
• Under 25 and homeless? Llamau has a free youth homeless helpline in the evenings and at weekends. Check the number on their site.
• Help to Claim (Universal Credit): 08000 241 220, 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday.
• Our Universal Credit housing element in Wales guide. Our letter templates are for England, so use them as a rough guide only.

Scotland

• Shelter Scotland housing advice and free helpline 0808 800 4444.
• Help to Claim (Universal Credit): 0800 023 2581, 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday.
• Our Local Housing Allowance in Scotland guide. Our letter templates are for England, so use them as a rough guide only.

Northern Ireland

• Housing Rights advice line: 028 9024 5640, 9:30am to 4:30pm, Monday to Friday.
• Northern Ireland Housing Executive: the Housing Executive deals with homeless applications in Northern Ireland, not councils.
• nidirect for benefits and government services.
• Our Universal Credit help with rent in Northern Ireland guide.

We have not been paid to list any of these services. This is general information, so check details with the service.