Homeless and looking for accommodation

Hostels

There are hundreds of hostels across London offering temporary accommodation for people who are homeless.

Each hostel has different criteria of whom they will accept in terms of age, gender, race, dependants etc.. You can approach some hostels directly, whereas others will require you to have been referred to them by an approved agency. The Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea have the right to nominate to some local hostels, so it may be worth contacting the Homelessness and Advice section at the Town Hall, or telephoning them on 020 7361 3008 . If you are a young person and homeless you should contact the council's Young Person's Homeless Advisor.

A full list is contained in the London Hostels Directory, which is published by Resource Information Service [Tel: 0207 494 2408]. The 2007 Directory contains details of 2,500 bed spaces in 50 direct access hostels and over 12,000 bed spaces in 200 longer stay housing projects for homeless people. The Directory should be available in your local library.

A list of local hostels in or around Kensington & Chelsea can be obtained from either from HASKC, or the Town Hall.

While the vast majority of hostels provide only temporary accommodation, there are some that are longer stay. If you are very fortunate it is also possible to be rehoused permanently via some hostels.

However, as the referral criteria varies from one hostel to the next, and the vast majority will be full at any one time, it is strongly recommended that you contact Shelterline. Shelterline has up to date information on any hostel vacancies.

Contacts

1. Shelterline

Freephone 0808 800 4444

Shelterline is a freephone telephone advice service offering housing advice 8am to midnight, 7 days a week .

Shelterline's advisers can advise on the availability of hostel accommodation, or refer you to the appropriate agency.

There are some specialist agencies, which help particular groups.

If you are a single woman then you could try Women's Link, who provide advice and have referrals to hostels.

2. Women's Link
Rooms 417-419
The Wool and Fruit Exchange
Brushfield Street
London E1 6EL

Tel: 020 7248 1200

• Telephone housing advice is available every morning, Monday to Thursday, 10am to 1pm and one afternoon on Mondays from 2pm to 4pm.
• Appointments are then made for Tuesday and Wednesday 2pm to 4pm.

For further information you can also visit their website at www.womenslink.org.uk

3. For people from black and ethnic communities there is Frontline:

Frontline Housing Advice
Hudson House
1 Stockwell Green
Stockwell
London SE7 9HP

Tel: 020 7501 9573.

General telephone is advice given during normal office hours Monday to Friday. Legal telephone advice is available on Tuesday 10am to 12.30pm

Their opening hours for drop-in advice are:

Wednesday 2pm to 4pm for legal problems

Thursday 2pm to 4pm for general advice, homelessness and referrals