Extra help for people in special situations
We can give you advice that fits your situation. If you’re in one of the groups listed below, you can speak to someone from our team face-to-face. This list doesn’t include everything we can help with. You can get extra support if:
- you’ve recently left prison
- you’re a care leaver
- you used to be in the armed forces
- you’ve experienced domestic abuse
- you’ve just left, or are about to leave hospital
- you have a mental illness or disability
- you’re aged 16 or 17
If you’re leaving hospital
Tell the hospital staff as soon as you can if you think you’ll be homeless when you leave. The hospital team might contact the council’s Housing Needs Advice team for you. We’ll then look at whether you can get temporary housing while we check your application.
If you have a mental illness or disability
We’ll try to help early to stop you from becoming homeless. We’ll also listen to anyone who supports you - like a support worker or health professional - when we look at what kind of home and help you need
Public services must help too
The Homelessness Reduction Act 2017 says that public services (like hospitals, prisons, and social care) must tell the council if someone they’re helping might be homeless or about to become homeless.
Portsmouth City Council is part of the Hampshire Homelessness Referral Protocol.
If you work for a public service and want to refer someone, make a referral online, or print off and email this referral form (DOCX) to either: