Housing Options

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Housing law recognises that domestic violence can happen in relationships between partners and between parents and adult children, as well as in other circumstances.

Some of the options available to you are:

Remaining at home or returning home with protection 

• Legal Protection – You can apply to the courts for two types of injunctions. For more information about the law, see the section on Legal Remedies

• Help from your landlord - If you have a council or housing association property, your landlord may be able to help you stay in your home. Contact your Area Housing Office or your Housing Officer for details.

• Home Shelter Scheme - The scheme offers you the option of remaining in your home with additional security measures, without which you might otherwise become homeless. For you to be eligible for the Home Shelter Scheme you must have recently experienced domestic violence and Islington Council must accept the household would become homeless if the security measures were not put in place. You need to be a tenant, a leaseholder or an owner of the home. Contact the Islington Housing Aid Centre.

Going to a Women’s Refuge 

Refuges are safe houses providing temporary accommodation to women and children escaping domestic violence. Most refuges have an upper age limit for boys, usually 12 or 14 years of age. The addresses of refuges are kept secret in order to keep the refuge a safe place. 
Visit the contacts link for the 24 hour National Domestic Violence Helpline.

Claiming homelessness

Under current law you can approach any Homeless Persons Unit if it is unsafe for you to remain in your home due to domestic violence. The Council is obliged to offer you temporary accommodation while they carry out their assessment. Housing law states that, ‘It is not reasonable for a person to continue to occupy accommodation if it is probable that this will lead to domestic violence or other violence’. Violence means violence or threats of violence from another person, which are likely to be carried out.

Staying temporarily with a friend or relative  

Whether this is a suitable option or not will partly depend on:

• The level of emotional and practical supports the friend or relative can provide. Sometimes family members may put additional pressure on you to stay in the relationship and ‘make it work’.

• Whether or not your partner/the perpetrator knows these addresses and is likely to follow you, intimidate or attack you or the people you are staying with.

Privately renting or buying accommodation

If you decide to rent privately, you may be entitled to Housing Benefit. Islington Housing Aid Centre can provide advice on tenancy agreements and information about places to try.

Although you may be in a position to buy, it may not be an immediate option and the process can be time consuming. Temporary living arrangements may need to be made in the interim.

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