Where to live
When you leave care it’s important to find a place that’s right for you along with any support you may want to make it work. There is a choice of accommodation across the borough.
If you’ve been living with a foster carer you might want to carry on living with them.
Group Home, Brook Street Chester
If you are not ready to live totally independent yet, you may want to move to one of our five flats at our Group Home on Brook Street, Chester. This is staffed 24/7. Once you are ready to live independently, you can progress to our dispersed tenancy scheme.
Dispersed Tenancy Scheme
A dispersed tenancy scheme with a Floating Support Service to provide a care leaver with a tailored support package. This enables 16 and 17-year-old care leavers to make a Housing Application.
Once registered, they will be able to bid on suitable properties and, if successful, the tenancy would be held by Children’s Services until the young person reached age 18. This means that when they move into a dispersed flat they have the potential of making it their permanent home, so not have to move again.
Living outside Cheshire West and Chester
If you wish to live outside the borough, your Social Worker or Personal Adviser will support you to make a Housing Application in that locality or, if appropriate, assist you to seek private rental accommodation.
You can ask Housing for support for anything relating to getting a tenancy. If you are worried about budgeting, you can speak to the Council's Help Team and For Futures Housing Team.
Housing Benefits
- Council Tax: When you live independently in your own accommodation, you usually have to pay Council Tax. However, If you are a relevant care leaver aged 18 – 25 you do not need to pay Council Tax. Your Personal Advisor can help to arrange this through the Council Tax team if you live in the borough of Cheshire West and Chester. If you live outside the borough, you can provide your Personal Advisor with your Council Tax bill at the start of the year and we will arrange to pay this for you.
- Setting Up Allowance: When you move into your own tenancy you are entitled to £2,000 Setting Up Home Allowance. You will be supported by your Personal Advisor to select and purchase items for your home, including white goods and flooring. This budget may not get you everything you need, so it is important that you look for items on sale and begin saving for your flat prior to moving. Friends and family may also have items they don’t need any more which you can use to stretch your budget further.
- Starter Pack: When you move into your own property your Personal Adviser will provide you with a Starter Pack, which will include some basic food, cleaning and DIY items – things you will need during the first few days as you settle into your new home.