Advice for Young People

If you are a young person wishing to leave home, you should carefully consider your options because paying rent and bills can be costly.  It is better to move in a planned manner wherever possible.

You will need to be aged 18 or over to hold a tenancy.

If you have a low income, you may be entitled to benefits to help you play rent.  You can find out what you may be entitled to at: Benefits Calculator - entitledto - independent | accurate | reliable

Your housing options may include:

• Renting privately, often in a shared house or flat.  You will need to have saved money for a deposit and rent in advance.  You can look for private rented housing via letting agents and websites, such as:                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Properties to rent in the UK | Flats and Houses to Rent | Rightmove

          SpareRoom for flatshare, house share, flat share & rooms for rent

• You can apply for social housing with a Registered Provider, which is cheaper than renting privately.  To apply for social housing. you will need to register on Devon Home Choice and you will need to bid for suitable homes.  However, most people who apply to Devon Home Choice are not offered a home because demand is so high.  You will need to have saved money for rent in advance.                                                                      
• If you must leave your home, you can ask the council to help you move into supported housing.  This is usually shared housing with some support attached to help you learn how to live independently.  There may be different supported accommodation options, including projects specifically for young people. 

If you must leave your home because you have been asked to leave or are not safe, you can self-refer to us for help online Self-referral - Jigsaw.  Alternatively, you can telephone 01237 428700

If you are a young person thinking about leaving home you should think very carefully about your decision because demand for housing is high and it may not be easy to find suitable housing that you can afford. If you are thinking about leaving home then you should plan your move to reduce the chance of things going wrong.