If you are worried about losing your home, falling behind with rent, being asked to leave by family, or finding it harder to manage safely where you live, Sandwell has more than one route for support. The housing route and the adult social care route often work together. That means you may need help with homelessness prevention, rent problems or rehousing and short-term support to manage money, paperwork, health issues or daily living.
Who this page is for
This guide is for Sandwell residents who are already homeless, at risk of homelessness, struggling to keep a tenancy going, or finding that health, disability, mental health, substance use, domestic abuse or financial pressure is making housing unstable.
It is also useful for family members, carers, support workers, hospital staff and voluntary sector workers who want to know which local route to use first.
Contact the right Sandwell service quickly
If you are homeless now or think you may lose your home soon, contact the Housing Solutions Team as early as possible. The main contact route is 0121 368 1166 (option 2) during office hours. The council’s homelessness page also explains how to register a case through Jigsaw, which is useful if you have somewhere to stay for the next couple of weeks and want to upload documents and track progress online.
- Use the Homeless or at risk of losing your home page if you have a notice from a landlord, relationship breakdown, mortgage arrears, a family exclusion, or another housing crisis.
- If your issue is broader than housing alone — for example budgeting, debt, mental health, harm risk, difficulty staying out of hospital, or trouble managing a tenancy — ask whether Floating Support could help as well.
- If you have care or support needs because of disability, frailty or illness, you can also contact Sandwell Enquiry on 0121 569 2266.
How the homelessness prevention route usually works in Sandwell
Sandwell’s approach is to try to prevent homelessness before it becomes an emergency. After your first contact, the team will usually gather evidence, understand why you need help, and decide whether you are homeless, threatened with homelessness, or need advice only.
If the council accepts that you are homeless or at risk, your case can be passed to a Homelessness Prevention Officer. You should expect a conversation about your circumstances, your household, any risks, and what housing options are realistic. In many cases this will include looking at ways to remain where you are, negotiating with landlords or relatives, or considering private rented housing as part of a personal housing plan.
Where domestic abuse is involved, the housing team can also discuss safety measures and emergency accommodation options. If it is not safe for you to stay where you are, use the domestic abuse and emergency routes immediately.
What Floating Support can help with
Sandwell’s Floating Support Service is a practical short-term service for adults who are finding it difficult to stay safe, healthy or settled. It is especially useful where the problem is not only housing, but also the skills and stability needed to keep a home going.
- Housing: landlord problems, homelessness risk, needing to move, or learning how to manage a tenancy
- Finance: budgeting, benefits and debt
- Health: physical health, mental health, learning disability, and alcohol or drug issues
- Safety: risk of harm, abuse, low confidence, or difficulty managing independently
The service is described by the council as confidential, short-term and designed around the person. Referrals or enquiries can be made by emailing floating_support@sandwell.gov.uk.
Other Sandwell help that often fits around housing problems
Housing problems are often connected to income, health and daily living. In practice, residents are often helped by a combination of services rather than one single team.
- Discretionary Housing Payments if Housing Benefit or the housing element of Universal Credit does not cover your rent
- Local Welfare Provision and food vouchers for crisis help with essentials
- Supporting Sandwell for cost of living advice, welcoming spaces and food support
- Welfare Rights if you need help with benefits, appeals or income maximisation
- Adult social care if disability, illness or frailty means you cannot manage safely at home
Useful Sandwell links
- Homeless or at risk of losing your home
- Floating support service
- Contact housing
- Problems paying your rent / Discretionary Housing Payment
- Supporting Sandwell
- Contact Adult Social Care
When to seek urgent help
If you are in immediate danger, call 999.
If the housing crisis is linked to domestic abuse, use Sandwell’s domestic abuse support pages or the 24-hour Black Country Women’s Aid route straight away rather than waiting for a routine housing appointment.
If you have nowhere safe to stay, use the homelessness page and contact the council immediately.
