Housing | Gloucestershire County Council

Your district council can provide you with advice and may be able to support you while searching for accommodation. Their contact details are below. If you are unsure which is the right contact for your local area, you can check at https://www.gov.uk/find-local-council

Cheltenham Borough Council
Tel: 01242 387615
Email: Housing.options@cheltenham.gov.uk

Cotswold District Council
Tel: 01285 623000
Email: Housingadvice@cotswold.gov.uk

Forest of Dean District Council
Tel: 01594 810000
Email: Housing.advice@fdean.gov.uk

Gloucester City Council
Tel: 01452 396396
Email: heretohelp@gloucester.gov.uk

Stroud District Council
Tel: 01453 766321
Email: Housing.advice@stroud.gov.uk

Tewkesbury Borough Council
Tel: 01684 272212
Email: Housingadvice@tewkesbury.gov.uk

Your district council can provide you with advice and may be able to support you while searching for accommodation. Their contact details are below. If you are unsure which is the right contact for your local area, you can check at https://www.gov.uk/find-local-council

Cheltenham Borough Council
Tel: 01242 387615
Email: Housing.options@cheltenham.gov.uk

Cotswold District Council
Tel: 01285 623000
Email: Housingadvice@cotswold.gov.uk

Forest of Dean District Council
Tel: 01594 810000
Email: Housing.advice@fdean.gov.uk

Gloucester City Council
Tel: 01452 396396
Email: heretohelp@gloucester.gov.uk

Stroud District Council
Tel: 01453 766321
Email: Housing.advice@stroud.gov.uk

Tewkesbury Borough Council
Tel: 01684 272212
Email: Housingadvice@tewkesbury.gov.uk

The following charities work closely with local councils, and can help people get support and advice on a range of complex issues, including; housing, homelessness, education, employment, finances, mental health, and drug-related problems.

We actively encourage individuals to find their own private rented accommodation once they have acclimatised to life in the UK and can afford it. Additional support is available for those who wish to rent privately to help with the transition to independent living.

The rental market in the UK is very competitive and you must find your own property. Local estate agents can help you with this, and the following websites are a good place to start looking for properties:

Private Rental Support (PRS) Scheme

The HFU Private Rental Support Scheme aims to assist Ukrainian families in Gloucestershire to secure longer-term independent accommodation. You may be eligible to apply for a gift payment of a deposit and first month’s rent in advance, which would be paid directly to your landlord upon the signing of your tenancy agreement. You will have to show that you have sufficient income and/or savings to meet the terms of the tenancy agreement before the support is agreed.

Once you have identified a property you would like to rent, and the landlord has agreed in principle to offer it to you, you should contact the HFU Team by email: hfuteam@gloucestershire.gov.uk.

After checking you meet the criteria, you will then be referred to your local district council to complete an affordability assessment.

Further Resources on Renting Privately

You may also be entitled to benefits to help you live independently. The websites Entitled To and Better-Off Calculator can help you see what benefits you are entitled to.

We recommend checking how much rent you can afford to pay whilst having other outgoings. This can be done using the calculator on MoneyHelper.

Please also see the How to Rent Checklist published by the UK Government, which should be read by all tenants under an assured shorthold tenancy and their landlords.

We actively encourage individuals to find their own private rented accommodation once they have acclimatised to life in the UK and can afford it. Additional support is available for those who wish to rent privately to help with the transition to independent living.

The rental market in the UK is very competitive and you must find your own property. Local estate agents can help you with this, and the following websites are a good place to start looking for properties:

Private Rental Support (PRS) Scheme

The HFU Private Rental Support Scheme aims to assist Ukrainian families in Gloucestershire to secure longer-term independent accommodation. You may be eligible to apply for a gift payment of a deposit and first month’s rent in advance, which would be paid directly to your landlord upon the signing of your tenancy agreement. You will have to show that you have sufficient income and/or savings to meet the terms of the tenancy agreement before the support is agreed.

Once you have identified a property you would like to rent, and the landlord has agreed in principle to offer it to you, you should contact the HFU Team by email: hfuteam@gloucestershire.gov.uk.

After checking you meet the criteria, you will then be referred to your local district council to complete an affordability assessment.

Further Resources on Renting Privately

You may also be entitled to benefits to help you live independently. The websites Entitled To and Better-Off Calculator can help you see what benefits you are entitled to.

We recommend checking how much rent you can afford to pay whilst having other outgoings. This can be done using the calculator on MoneyHelper.

Please also see the How to Rent Checklist published by the UK Government, which should be read by all tenants under an assured shorthold tenancy and their landlords.

If you would like to live independently but struggle to meet the costs of private rented accommodation, social housing may be available through your local council through Homeseeker Plus.

Each application is banded in accordance with the Homeseeker Plus policy depending on various factors including housing demand, an applicant’s current housing situation, and any individual requirements.

As documented within the media, the UK is experiencing a housing crisis and the issue is increasing as the population grows. Demand for social housing is extremely high and outweighs the supply. Therefore, please note that applying for social housing does not guarantee success, and the waitlist is extremely long. Finding private rented accommodation, if you can afford it, tends to be quicker and gives you a greater choice on area and type of accommodation.

If you would like to apply for social housing in Gloucestershire, please register with Home Seeker Plus by completing an application on the Homeseeker Plus website.

If you would like to live independently but struggle to meet the costs of private rented accommodation, social housing may be available through your local council through Homeseeker Plus.

Each application is banded in accordance with the Homeseeker Plus policy depending on various factors including housing demand, an applicant’s current housing situation, and any individual requirements.

As documented within the media, the UK is experiencing a housing crisis and the issue is increasing as the population grows. Demand for social housing is extremely high and outweighs the supply. Therefore, please note that applying for social housing does not guarantee success, and the waitlist is extremely long. Finding private rented accommodation, if you can afford it, tends to be quicker and gives you a greater choice on area and type of accommodation.

If you would like to apply for social housing in Gloucestershire, please register with Home Seeker Plus by completing an application on the Homeseeker Plus website.

The Resettlement Support Fund is allocated to support households who need help with essential household items.

Please note:

This is not an emergency scheme
There is no guarantee of support

We would recommend visiting furniture banks to see what furniture items you can find for yourself before applying, especially as these will be more affordable options. Below is a link to a list of furniture banks in your area:

Gloucestershire Furniture Recycling Banks

If you cannot acquire the items you need through other means, you can apply to get support with basic furniture by following this link: Apply to the Resettlement Support Fund.

Please ensure that you only choose the essential items, as we may not be able to support with a full list of items. If you are awarded funds, these will most likely be in the form of a voucher for a high street store.

The Resettlement Support Fund is allocated to support households who need help with essential household items.

Please note:

This is not an emergency scheme
There is no guarantee of support

We would recommend visiting furniture banks to see what furniture items you can find for yourself before applying, especially as these will be more affordable options. Below is a link to a list of furniture banks in your area:

Gloucestershire Furniture Recycling Banks

If you cannot acquire the items you need through other means, you can apply to get support with basic furniture by following this link: Apply to the Resettlement Support Fund.

Please ensure that you only choose the essential items, as we may not be able to support with a full list of items. If you are awarded funds, these will most likely be in the form of a voucher for a high street store.

Council tax is a compulsory charge on properties in England, Scotland and Wales. It is set by local authorities and the amount varies. Please see your district council’s webpages on council tax for more information.

There is a 50% discount for Homes for Ukraine visa holders moving into their own privately rented accommodation. Please contact the Revenues and Benefits team in your local district council to ask for the discount. They will need: address of the property, date you moved in, date tenancy started and the full names of all adults at the property. This discount is not continued once you transition to a Ukraine Permission Extension visa, and you should inform your local council once you have applied to the Ukraine Permission Extension scheme.

Cheltenham – Council Tax

Cotswold – Council Tax

Forest of Dean – Council Tax

Gloucester – Council Tax

Stroud – Council Tax

Tewkesbury – Council Tax

Council tax is a compulsory charge on properties in England, Scotland and Wales. It is set by local authorities and the amount varies. Please see your district council’s webpages on council tax for more information.

There is a 50% discount for Homes for Ukraine visa holders moving into their own privately rented accommodation. Please contact the Revenues and Benefits team in your local district council to ask for the discount. They will need: address of the property, date you moved in, date tenancy started and the full names of all adults at the property. This discount is not continued once you transition to a Ukraine Permission Extension visa, and you should inform your local council once you have applied to the Ukraine Permission Extension scheme.

Cheltenham – Council Tax

Cotswold – Council Tax

Forest of Dean – Council Tax

Gloucester – Council Tax

Stroud – Council Tax

Tewkesbury – Council Tax

If your current hosted placement is coming to an end and you are able to find a new host, we will facilitate the move under the Homes for Ukraine scheme, as long as your new host meets the requirements of the scheme.

If you are threatened with homelessness and cannot afford to rent privately, our officers may also be able to help you find a new host to live with until you are ready to live independently. However, please be aware that demand is high and outweighs the supply of available hosts we have. The bigger the household, the more difficult this is.

If you need help to find a new host, please contact the Homes for Ukraine team on hfuteam@gloucestershire.gov.uk to tell us about your circumstances.

If your current hosted placement is coming to an end and you are able to find a new host, we will facilitate the move under the Homes for Ukraine scheme, as long as your new host meets the requirements of the scheme.

If you are threatened with homelessness and cannot afford to rent privately, our officers may also be able to help you find a new host to live with until you are ready to live independently. However, please be aware that demand is high and outweighs the supply of available hosts we have. The bigger the household, the more difficult this is.

If you need help to find a new host, please contact the Homes for Ukraine team on hfuteam@gloucestershire.gov.uk to tell us about your circumstances.