We are often able to help people to stay in their homes. If it's not possible to prevent you becoming homeless, we will assist you in finding alternative accommodation. This could be through:
- private rented accommodation
- social housing (available to people on the Housing Needs Register)
- friends or family
Private rented accommodation
We have a long waiting list of people looking for council housing in Harlow, so finding a privately rented home will be the quickest way to improve your situation if you are looking for somewhere to live.
To find a property to rent, you can look at:
You can also visit local estate agents in Harlow town centre - many are located in and around Broadwalk.
Once you have identified a property you will need to know how much of the housing element of Universal Credit you will be able to claim.
The amount of housing element you can get will not necessarily be the same as your rent. There is a maximum allowance based the size of your household and your location, called the Local Housing Allowance (LHA).
You can use a calculator to find out how many bedrooms your household needs. Once you have worked out your bedroom need, you can enter a location. This will tell you what the LHA is in that area.
You can look at Harlow’s LHA rate
Once you have the LHA, you should use this as a guide when you look for a property. You want to try and find a property with a rent that is close to or below the LHA to make it affordable for you.
You should bear in mind that you may not be able to claim the full LHA amount, as your housing element claim will also depend on your circumstances, including your income.
You can use the entitledto calculator to get an estimate on how much housing element you could receive.
We may also be able to offer you financial assistance through our rent deposit scheme, which you can use to pay for a deposit and rent in advance to secure new accommodation. Contact our Housing Options and Advice team housing.options@harlow.gov.uk
Social housing
Social housing in Harlow is available for people on the Housing Needs Register
If you are on the register, you can bid for properties that suit your needs.
You will need to meet certain qualifying conditions to be able to join the register. There is also a very high demand for social housing in Harlow, so this is not always a realistic option.
Ask friends or family
If you are struggling to find a new home, someone you know might be able to help.
You can ask friends or family if they have somewhere you can stay, even if it’s just while you are looking for somewhere more permanent.
You could use social media to let people know you are looking for somewhere to stay.
If you find somewhere to stay with a friend or family, you could offer to pay them some rent at a level you can afford.