Temporary accommodation

If we have reason to believe that you may be homeless, eligible for help and have a priority need, we have a duty to provide interim accommodation. 

Temporary accommodation is also known as “interim accommodation”. It is not permanent, and you should only be for a short period of time. 

It will be suitable for you and your household, but we take into account the fact that you will only be living there for a short time when deciding what is suitable. The temporary accommodation could be, for example, bed and breakfast accommodation. 

You can stay in temporary or interim accommodation if you have applied to us, and we believe that you: 

• are homeless;
• are eligible for help; and
• have a priority need. 

Find out more about your right to interim accommodation. 

Temporary or interim accommodation is not secure – you should only be living in it for a short period of time. It will usually be available immediately once you meet the criteria for it. Your right to stay in temporary accommodation ends when our duty to provide interim accommodation ends. This may be when: 

• you no longer have a priority need;
• you are no longer owed the relief duty;
• you are evicted because you have not abided by the conditions of the accommodation; or
• permanent accommodation has been found for you. 

We will notify you when your right to interim accommodation ends and explain to you the date upon which you must leave the accommodation. 

The accommodation will meet your needs, and it could be any type, but it is unlikely to be the same type of accommodation that you will end up in once you find a permanent home. 

Sometimes we use bed and breakfast accommodation and bedsits to provide temporary accommodation. As it is arranged at short notice, it could be located anywhere in the Waltham Forest area or elsewhere if there is no suitable local accommodation available. 

There is no fixed cost, and it will vary depending upon what accommodation you are placed in. 

When you are allocated interim accommodation, we will consider what you can afford and what other help is available to you. You will also have to pay your other living costs, for example, electricity costs. 

We will help you to find temporary accommodation that is suitable for your needs. Please contact us as soon as possible if you believe you are homeless or under threat of homelessness. You can also contact us for general housing advice.