Use our step-by-step guides to work out if the council will class you as homeless, what your options are, and how to get the accommodation you are entitled to. You do not have to be living on the streets to be considered homeless. As well as sleeping rough, you might be classed as homeless if you are sofa-surfing, staying with a friend temporarily, staying in a hostel, or sleeping in your car. Even being in overcrowded housing may mean you meet the definition of homelessness. You are entitled to somewhere safe and suitable to live. But councils are under a lot of pressure and the process for

Taking legal action can be stressful, expensive and time consuming. And courts are not usually the right place to sort out problems caused by a communication difficulty or a misunderstanding. Finding a solution that you can both live with, without going to court, can make it easier to have some kind of relationship in the future. This can be important if your dispute is with a neighbour or your landlord, a friend or family member, or your child’s school. ‘Alternative Dispute Resolution' (ADR) is the name for a range of options for resolving legal problems, often without going through the court

Representing yourself in court can be daunting. You might worry about what to say, how to act, and how to deal with the other side. But cuts and changes to legal aid mean that more people than ever cannot afford a lawyer, and have to represent themselves in court. We will tell you what you need to know and do to get the best result you can without a lawyer.