If you make a homeless application to the council they will assess whether or not you are considered ‘priority need’.

‘Priority need’ is a category defined in England’s homelessness laws. Its purpose is to recognise and safeguard people who are more vulnerable if they become homeless.

Who automatically qualifies
You have a priority need if you are:

• experiencing or at risk of domestic abuse
• pregnant, and/or have dependent children
• homeless due to a fire, or flood
• a 18-20 year old care leaver who was in care between the ages of 16 and 17.

Vulnerability criteria
If you don’t automatically qualify, the council may still prioritise you if you’re more at risk than most people due to:

• being elderly
• having a mental or physical disability
• leaving a non-domestic violence situation
• having been in prison, care, or the armed forces.

Why this matters
With priority need, councils must:

• Provide emergency housing if you are already homeless.
• Help prevent homelessness if you are at risk of homelessness in the next 8 weeks (this applies to all eligible applicants, not just those with priority need).

What to do next
Contact your local council’s housing team immediately.
Explain your situation clearly.
Seek advice from Shelter’s website for detailed guidance.