Homelessness

If you already have an existing case please complete our online contact form Contact the Housing Solutions Team, our response will be relevant to the urgency of your request but we aim to respond to all enquiries within two working days.

This page provides a range of homelessness prevention advice and guidance to help you with your individual circumstances.

What to do if you're concerned about someone who is rough sleeping:

If you are concerned about someone who is rough sleeping and medical attention is not immediately required, you can make a referral to Porchlight through their website or call 0800 567 7699 which is charged at normal call rate.

You will need to provide:

A specific location of the rough sleeper to enable our outreach team to find them
The time the rough sleeper has been seen at the location
Any information that will help identify them (gender, approximate age, what the person looks like, what they are wearing etc.)

If the person needs urgent medical attention or you believe they are under 18 years of age please call 999.

Dartford operates a Severe Weather Emergency Protocol (SWEP) to provide emergency accommodation to rough sleepers to prevent deaths on the streets caused by extreme weather conditions.

The SWEP is activated when the Met Office predicts one night of temperatures below 0 degrees anywhere in Kent.

Being under threat of homelessness:

If you are under threat of homelessness there may be options you can explore before you need to find somewhere new to live.

Knowing the reason you are being asked to leave your home is a good starting point, as this can help inform you of the opportunities to explore, for example:

If your landlord wants to increase your rent you may be able to negotiate an amount you could reasonably afford to pay or, if you claim Housing Benefit or Universal Credit, you could apply for discretionary housing payments to assist with any shortfall
If your landlord is selling their property, you can ask them if they would consider selling your home with you as a sitting tenant - many buyers in Dartford are prospective landlords
If you are being asked to leave by friends or family – perhaps due to overcrowding or extra costs they incur by you living in their home - you should consider what compromises you might be able to make and try and negotiate with them

Accessing support from the Housing Solutions Team:

The Housing Solutions Team may be able to support you with these negotiations.

If you choose to approach for assistance, we will undertake enquires into your circumstances and also your household’s circumstances, such as if you are eligible for support, the reason for the threat of homelessness, your address history, any support needs, your medical history, your financial situation and your housing needs.

The help we can provide includes:

mediation between you and the person who has asked you to leave with the aim to keeping you in your home
advising you on your rights of occupation
advising you on how to find somewhere else to live

We also work with a number of agencies within our team to help us do that. These include:

Kent County Council
Early Help
DWP
Housing Benefit
Community Mental Health
Citizen's Advice
Porchlight
YMCA

If staying in your current home is not an option then you need to be aware that rents in Dartford are very high and broadening your search will give you more choice of available and affordable homes.

Using the 'better off calculator' will help you understand the financial benefits of changing your working hours and any impact it may have on benefits you may receive
You may be eligible for Housing Benefit or Universal Credit to help you pay your rent
If you rent privately, Local Housing Allowance (LHA) sets out the maximum amount of assistance you may be able to receive - to find out how much you may be able to receive use the 'entitled to' calculator which will give you an approximate guide
The useful websites below are popular home search engines you can use if you are looking for a new home

Eligibility checker and application for assistance:

To access the Housing Solutions service, you will need to complete an application form and submit your documents online. If you require support to complete the application form please ask a friend or family for help or visit one of our libraries.

Dartford Housing Assessment Team offer a drop in service every Wednesday from 14.00 to 16.00 at the Civic Centre. This service is only available to people to make a homeless application if they are unable to do this without our assistance.

This service is for new applications only. Please report to reception on arrival.

Find out what help you might get.

Documentary evidence you will need:

You will need the following information to hand so that you can upload the documentary evidence needed to complete the form.

Proof of your identity and the identities of everyone to be included as part of your household, such as birth certificates, passports, immigration documents
Evidence that you are threatened with homelessness, such as a notice of seeking possession, possession order or bailiff’s warrant or confirmation in writing that you are being made homeless if friends or family are asking you to leave
Your current tenancy agreement and any previous tenancy agreements you have for other homes you have previously lived in
Proof of your previous addresses for the last five years and your partner’s addresses if relevant, such as medical cards, bank statements, utility bills etc
Proof of your income and any savings or investments you have, such as wage slips, bank statements, benefit books, savings books, share certificates
Evidence of any serious illness or disability that you or any member of your household have, such as letters from your GP, hospital consultant, details of any prescribed medication
Evidence of any custodial sentence served
Evidence of any armed forces service history

Further information:

Make an application to the Housing Solutions Team.