Accommodation

If there are problems with the accommodation, including trouble paying rent, Bromley LC Team must advise you on how to sort this out. When you are moving into your own place, Bromley will support you through with access to a Setting Up Home Allowance, this is to help you buy essentials for your new home, such as furniture or appliances.

If you have been sent a letter regarding Housewarming Gifts from LinCC, email: stephen.Niakamene@bromley.gov.uk to select your option. 

There are several different types of accommodation options that are available to you as you approach 18 and are preparing to leave care. The type of accommodation you will be offered will depend on your pathway plan and your age. Your social worker or young person’s advisor (YPA) will assess what is suitable housing for you at this time. In some cases people choose to stay at their CLA placement until they are ready to move, however, some young people may feel like they want to become more independent and want a chance to see what it is like to live in a different type of accommodation. Please see below for the types of accommodation Bromley offer:

Staying Put

If you are living in a foster placement and would like to remain with your carers after your 18th birthday then you can request this option which is called “Staying Put”. If your foster carers are in agreement to the option of Staying Put then this will be discussed with your social worker and agreed at your CLA review so that plans can be put in motion ahead of your 18th birthday to ensure a smooth transition from a fostering placement to a Staying Put arrangement. For those of you who are in education there will be no significant changes until you have completed the academic year in which you turn 18. You will continue to receive full support from your foster carers and they will remain responsible for providing you with your pocket money, clothing money etc.

Once the academic year ends, the placement will become less supportive and you will be required to make a DWP (Department for Work and Pensions) claim for Universal Credit (UC) to replace your fostering allowances. You will then have to maintain your UC claim and purchase your own food or pay towards the cost of your food if your foster carers have agreed to continue to provide meals for you. If you are in a Staying Put arrangement and are working you may be required to contribute up to 20% of your income towards your rent. For those of you who are not working your rent will be covered by Bromley and Housing benefit (HB). You will be expected to make a claim for HB around your 18th birthday and will be supported to do this.

University

If you are going to study at University you may wish to live on campus in one of their Residential Halls  and you can apply to the Student accommodation services for a place before you start the course. You may need an advance payment to secure the accommodation which can be accessed via your YPA, once the university have sent you an acceptance letter or we are sure you have a place on a course.

Alternatively you may choose to find a place of your own in the private rented sector (click here for more info). You will be responsible for paying your rent in full from your Student Loans and LCT grant, and will not be eligible for Housing Benefit as a university student.

You should look for 52 week a year accommodation if you have no alternative place to stay during the holiday period. A lot of universities are now offering this service to care leavers and it is helpful if you feel able to identify yourself as a care leaver on your UCAS application to ensure you get all the additional help available at your university of choice.

If available to you, during the holiday periods you can choose to ‘Stay Put’, if you want to return to your foster placement during the breaks this can be arranged with your carers agreement, and supported lodgings placements. If you are worried about the arrangements for student holiday accommodation you can discuss this with your YPA once you have an offer from a university and make sure that arrangements are in place before you start your course.

Supported Lodgings

This is another option for those of you who prefer to live in a family setting, but do not have the option to ‘Stay Put’. We have a variety of options within the Supported Lodgings scheme both in and out of the borough with experienced carers who offer a room in their home to a young person. Some of these options may cater for just one care leaver whilst others may have a number of young people living there. You will be expected to abide by the house rules and claim Housing benefit to cover the rent, which may differ slightly in each household. The carer is there to offer support and advice but you will have more independence than in a foster placement. Most of our carers are working and you will be expected to buy and cook your own food from your benefits.

Semi-independence

Some young people may wish to live in semi-independent accommodation where they receive on-site support from keyworkers. This could range from 24 hours support for those requiring a high level of support, or just 5 hours a week outreach support for those with less needs. We are working with a number of different providers both in and out of the borough who offer a range of accommodation types and support packages. This type of accommodation can usually be accessed at short notice or in an emergency and provides young people with a shared living experience and the chance to work on their independence skills. Depending on the provider and your level of independence you may be able to live in a stand-alone flat to try out being on your own before bidding for your own tenancy, or you may have room in a shared property with daily input from staff.

Supported Housing

Supported housing is available across the borough with support ranging from high levels to a low level of support. High support accommodation, such as Drake Court, is in Orpington and has a number of bedsits in a large property with staff on site 24 hours a day. Part of the tenancy agreement is that you meet with your keyworker to discuss any tenancy issues you may have. There is a service charge at this property to cover the cleaning of the communal areas and bills, but you are responsible for cleaning your own space.

Other supported accommodation is available in central Bromley, self-contained flats in a converted house, and in the Penge /Anerley area, where there are more self-contained flats some with staff available every day and others with less support.  In the self-contained properties you will be responsible for your utility bills, including council tax, over the age of 18 and will have to budget for your gas and electricity bills. The LCT does provide some winter heating payments from October to March on these properties for the over 18s. Supported housing offers you a taste of independence and the opportunity to learn how to manage bills before accessing your own tenancy in the future. In order to access supported housing your SW or YPA needs to compete a referral form with your assistance and you will then be invited for interview by the organisation that manages the properties for Bromley. They will decide if you are a suitable candidate for one of their properties but as this accommodation is limited you may have to wait for a vacancy to come available before moving in, so this is not an emergency provision.

Permanent Tenancy

On joining the leaving care team all young people are required to register online on the Bromley Home seekers website, this is the system used for all Bromley residents to register for permanent housing. All young people leaving care are entitled to bid for their own tenancy post 18 once their allocated worker has assessed them as being ready for the responsibility of holding their own tenancy.  The Home seekers website provides accommodation within the borough only, there is no current arrangement for care leavers to transfer this housing offer to other boroughs or areas at present. Access to the Bromley Home seekers website is dependent on you having settled status to remain in the UK so those who do not have leave to remain cannot register until their immigration situation has been concluded. If you have been granted 5 years Refugee status you will be entitled to register for housing with the housing department.

Private Tenancy

Moving into privately rented accommodation is a lot different to a Housing Association tenancy. It is important that you understand that with this type of tenancy you are completely sure that you are able to meet the monthly costs and that you are prepared to be asked to move out at short notice if the landlord decides to sell the property, or change the use, or if you are in breach of the tenancy agreement. This may be because of failure to pay your rent, or bringing pets into the property, noise nuisance or moving other people in without permission etc. The private rental sector does not provide you with the security of a permanent tenancy but may be an option if you choose to move out of the Bromley borough and wish to live independently.  If this option appears to be the best for you at the time you can discuss this with your YPA to see if the LCT can assist with a deposit to secure a private rented property. In order to do this your proposed landlord would need to provide a full tenancy agreement and contract.  The most common reason for accessing this type of accommodation is for those who are attending university outside of London and do not wish to live in university accommodation. Unfortunately the LA is unable to act as guarantor for any privately rented accommodation so this would need to be checked out with the landlord who will normally require a guarantor, i.e someone over the age of 18 who is willing to guarantee your rent and can be approached to pay for any damages or loss of rent should you fail to abide by the tenancy agreement.