Getting Ready for Your New Home
The information below offers a guide to some of the main things
you may need to think about if and when you are offered a secure
tenancy through Perth & Kinross Council.
Everyone's situation is different so not everything here will apply
to you. If you have worked with a member of the Homeless Support
Team they will be able to offer you further help and advice to
prepare for your new home. They will work with you to develop a
personal plan for preparing for your move.
If after reading this you feel you need additional support speak to
your Homeless Advice Officer who may refer you to the Support
Team.
Housing Benefit
If you already receive Housing Benefit you'll need to make sure
that this is updated to your new home to take effect from the day
that you get your keys. To report a change in address contact
the Housing and Council Tax Benefit Team. Contact details are
at the end of this factsheet.
If you do not receive Housing Benefit already you will need to
apply for this. To make a claim you will need to complete an
application form - for more information visit the
Housing and Council Tax Benefit pages of this website.
You will also need to supply original documents proving your
identity, earnings and/or savings, as well as any benefits you
already receive. Apply for Housing Benefit as soon as you are
offered permanent accommodation, you will be charged rent from the
day you get your keys. If you don't take care of this, you
could very quickly end up in debt and possibly lose your
home.
If you are not eligible for Housing Benefit then you will need to
make arrangements to regularly pay your rent. The simplest
way to do this is by setting up a Direct Debit. Information
on how to pay rent by Direct Debit, and other ways of paying rent,
are available from your
local area housing office.
Council Tax Benefit
Council Tax is due for all homes and all homes have to
pay water and sewerage charges, even if on full
benefits. You may also be entitled to Council Tax Benefit
depending on your individual circumstances. To apply for a
discount, or for Council Tax Benefit visit the
Housing and Council Tax Benefit pages of this website.
Community Care Grant
If you are on a qualifying benefit, you can apply for a
Community Care Grant. If you have worked with a member of the
Homeless Support Team they will be able to help you make a
Community Care Grant application, and will be able to provide a
supporting letter. Applications made with a supporting letter
are often more successful than those submitted without
support. If your application does fail then your support
worker would also help you to lodge an appeal. We will not be
able to help you appeal if you have not previously worked with the
Homeless Support Team.
Not everyone qualifies for a Community Care Grant, and even if
you do the amount may be much smaller than you hoped for. You
may receive a grant to buy some basic essentials for your new
home - such as a bed and a cooker - but it will not be
enough to furnish or carpet every room.
Furnishings
No offer of permanent accommodation, either council or Housing
Association, will come furnished. It is your responsibility
to get things like a bed or seats for your living room and
electrical goods for your kitchen.
If family or friends are replacing any of their old household
furniture, or cookers, fridge/freezers etc, ask them if they can
keep their old ones until you get your own place.
In Perth and Kinross The Salvation Army runs the 40:20 Furniture Re-Use
Project which offers refurbished furniture at low cost
prices. If you are working well with Homeless Support
Services you may be offered a discount.
If you are currently in temporary accommodation with the Council,
it may be possible to replace the furniture in that accommodation
with your own stuff it you get some. Speak to your Temporary
Accommodation Officer and they'll let you know whether they can
swap what the council have provided, for your own items.
Alternatively you can rent, at your own cost, secure storage space
locally to store large goods until you need them.
Pots, pans etc
You will need pots and pans, plates and cutlery, kettle, iron,
vacuum cleaner etc. Buying all these things on a limited
income can be difficult, but again friends and family may be
willing to donate second-hand items.
These kind of things take up less storage space, so it's worth
starting to gather them now ready for your new home. Starting
now also means that you can budget to buy one thing at a time.
Insurance
When you rent a property your landlord is responsible for making
sure that the building is properly insured. You, as the
tenant, will be responsible for insuring your own furniture and
personal belongings - including mobile phones - against theft,
fire, flood and other potential damage.
TV Licence
You must have a valid TV licence to watch or record television
in your new home. This also applies if you watch TV
programmes a computer or mobile device. Contact TV Licensing
to apply for a licence, by visiting www.tvlicensing.co.uk or by
telephone on 0300 790 6115.
