Housing Advice Team
North Tyneside Council’s Housing Advice Team provides a free, confidential service to anyone who may be experiencing housing issues and is in need of housing advice.
Leaving care aged 16 and 17 year old
North Tyneside Council has a duty to help you move from living in care to your own home. This could be into supported housing or your own tenancy. The council’s Children Services will support you through this. You should already have a pathway plan in place. This will look at what housing you need, how your needs will be met and who will help you.
Most 16 and 17 year olds leaving care are not able to claim welfare benefits. There are some exceptions to this, and your worker will be able to discuss this in more detail with you.
Leaving care aged 18 – 25 years old
The Children and Social Work Act 2017 now extends local authority duty towards someone previously in the care of the local authority to the age of 25 years.
You will be able to get help from the Leaving Care Team and the Housing Advice Team. If you spent at least one night in care when you were 16 or 17 years old the local authority will have a statutory duty towards you, if your homelessness cannot be prevented or relieved and an application is taken through Part 7 of the Housing Act 1996.
Other support available
North Tyneside Children’s Services has some supported housing available that it may be possible for you to move into as part of your pathway plan. This housing would allow you to receive support and develop skills that you need to move into your own home and keep it.
Supported housing is also an option through our Support Gateway. This might be sharing a house with other young people or having your own flat with your own front door.