Emergency Accommodation and Housing When You Need to Leave Home
If you are a woman or mother who needs to leave home because you are frightened, unsafe, experiencing abuse, or have nowhere safe to stay, help is available.
Leaving home can feel overwhelming, especially when you have children, little money, or no idea where you will sleep that night.
If you are in immediate danger
If you or your children are in immediate danger, call 999.
If you cannot safely speak on a mobile phone, call 999 and, when prompted, press 55. This connects you to the police.
If you can leave safely, go somewhere you trust — such as a friend’s or family member’s home, a police station, hospital or another safe public place.
Your immediate safety comes first.
If you need somewhere safe to stay
If you are fleeing domestic abuse, contact the National Domestic Abuse Helpline, run by Refuge:
0808 2000 247 — free, confidential and open 24 hours a day.
Refuge can help you understand your options and, where appropriate, help you find a refuge. Refuges provide safe temporary accommodation for women escaping domestic abuse, including women with children.
You can simply say:
> “I have left home and need somewhere safe to stay.”
You don’t need to know exactly what you need before you call.
Contact your local council
If you have nowhere safe to live, contact your local council or housing authority and ask for the homelessness or housing team.
Explain clearly:
“I am homeless or at risk of homelessness because I cannot safely remain in my home.”
If you have children, tell them. If domestic abuse is involved, tell them that too.
You do not have to be sleeping on the street to ask for help. In England, for example, someone may be considered homeless if it is not reasonable for them to remain in their home because of violence or abuse. Housing law and processes differ across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, so ask for advice specific to where you live.
Housing and homelessness charities
Shelter provides housing and homelessness advice and can help you understand your rights and options.
Shelter England: 0808 800 4444
For Wales, contact Shelter Cymru:
For Scotland:
You can also contact Women’s Aid, which can help you find specialist domestic abuse services and refuge support in your area.
Support across the UK
Although housing systems differ across the four nations, there are organisations available to help.
England
● Local council homelessness/housing team
● Refuge: 0808 2000 247
● Shelter England: 0808 800 4444
● Women’s Aid
Scotland
● Local authority housing/homelessness service
● Scotland’s Domestic Abuse and Forced Marriage Helpline: 0800 027 1234
● Shelter Scotland
Wales
● Local authority housing/homelessness service
● Live Fear Free Helpline: 0808 80 10 800
● Shelter Cymru
Northern Ireland
● Northern Ireland Housing Executive
● Domestic and Sexual Abuse Helpline: 0808 802 1414
If you have children
Tell the housing service or charity that your children are with you and give their ages. Also mention any additional needs, pregnancy, or concerns about their safety.
If you are worried about a child’s immediate safety, call 999 in an emergency.
The NSPCC Helpline can also provide advice if you are concerned about a child:
0808 800 5000
If you have no money or belongings
Don’t let this stop you from asking for help.
If it is safe, you may eventually need identification, medication, bank cards, benefit information, school details and essential clothing. But do not put yourself at risk to collect belongings.
Tell the charity, refuge or council if you have no money, food, medication or access to your bank account. They can help you look at emergency support and your next steps.
If you are worried that someone is monitoring your phone or online activity, try to contact services using a safe device if possible.
You don’t have to solve everything today
When you leave an unsafe home, it can feel like you need to immediately work out housing, money, schools, childcare, work and legal issues.
You don’t.
The first priority is getting somewhere safe.
Then you can deal with everything else one step at a time, with support.
Remember
● Immediate danger: call 999
● Domestic abuse: Refuge, 0808 2000 247
● Homeless or unsafe at home: contact your local council/housing authority
● Housing advice: Shelter or the appropriate housing charity for your nation
● Finding local domestic abuse support: Women’s Aid
● Children’s safety: NSPCC, 0808 800 5000
You are allowed to ask for help. You do not have to face this alone, and you and your children deserve somewhere safe to live.
Comments