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Sign in or register for an accountThe demand for housing in Salford is very high. This includes both social housing and private rented accommodation. At the moment, there are 5,000 households on the council’s Housing Register, commonly known as Salford Home Search. The council receives 100 new applications each week. Last year, approximately 800 properties were available for rent to those on the Housing Register. Many households registered on Salford Home Search will never be offered social housing or will be waiting many years.
You are only eligible to join Salford Home Search if you have a local connection to Salford. This applies even if you have a housing need.
You can check if you have a local connection to Salford by going to Salford Home Search.
People who were living in s95 (Serco) accommodation provided by the Home Office will have a local connection if they received a positive decision on their asylum application in Salford and they were still living in s95 (Serco) accommodation in Salford when the Home Office served a discontinuation notice. If you were moved to another local authority after your asylum decision but before your discontinuation notice, you do not have a local connection to Salford on the basis that you received your asylum decision in Salford. You may though have a local connection if you have worked in Salford for six months or there is another exceptional reason. You can get further information at the link above.
However, even where you do have a local connection and can join Salford Home Search, that does not mean you will be offered social housing as there are not enough properties.
It is therefore important that you consider other options, including private rented accommodation which could be a house share if you are single. For most people, the quickest way to access accommodation will be to find private rented housing.
The demand for private rented accommodation is also very high and it is not uncommon for there to be many applications for one property. For this reason, talk to family or friends about whether you can stay there while looking for more suitable housing.
There are several ways to find private rented accommodation in Salford. You can access details of lettings agents in Salford on the internet. If you can, go to their offices and introduce yourself. Let them know what you are looking for and make sure you provide up to date contact details. Set up notifications on right move, Zoopla and other property platforms on the internet. Let friends and family know you are looking; lots of people find accommodation from talking to people who know landlords.
Depending on your income and personal circumstances you may be able to get help with paying your rent through Universal Credit Housing Element (UCHE). You can get help even if you are working and on a low income. Further information on GOV.UK's housing and Universal Credit page.
If you do need to claim UCHE there is a maximum amount that you can claim for rent; this is often referred to as Local Housing Allowance (LHA).
Different areas have different LHA levels, so if you are looking outside Salford, you can get that information on Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rates on GOV.UK.
If you are homeless or at risk of homelessness, you may be able to get help from Salford Housing Options Point for a deposit or rent in advance. See the section on Homelessness below for more information.
If you don’t have anywhere to go, including friends and family, when you need to leave your SERCO accommodation in Salford, the council will help you try and find a home. In some cases, we may be able to provide Temporary Accommodation while we help you secure suitable housing.
First, visit our refer someone who is homeless page, and click the pink referral form button. You need to fill out this form and make a homelessness application if you require our help. Please do this as soon as you receive your asylum decision. Do not wait until the day you need to leave your SERCO accommodation.
Housing Options will then contact you within three working days and invite you for an assessment.
If you wait until the date you need to leave your SERCO accommodation and have nowhere to stay, you can present as homeless at Salford Housing Options Point (SHOP), Ground Floor, Salford Civic Centre, Chorley Road, Swinton M27 5AD. Salford Housing Options Point is open 8.30am to 4.30pm Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday and 12.30pm to 4.30pm on Thursday. The service is very busy and you may have to wait to see an Officer.
Only go to Salford Housing Options if you have nowhere to stay that day. If you do have somewhere to stay, even if it is temporary, go to our refer someone who is homeless page and click the pink referral form button.
It is important that you take the following documents when you attend Salford Housing Options Point: BRP/ E-visa, Home Office decision letter, SERCO Notice Letter, bank statements and proof of Universal Credit. If you are sick, take any letters from your doctor and list of medications. You can also bring a letter of support from any organisation that is helping you. You will also need to provide ID for anyone else you live with.
In some cases, Salford Housing Options Point will be able to provide you with Temporary Accommodation. This may be bed and breakfast accommodation, and it may not be in Salford.
Where we cannot provide accommodation, we will refer you to other accommodation options and work with you to try and help you find a home. However, you need to know that these providers cannot always make a same day offer and you may need to make your own arrangements in the meantime.
Even where you are provided with Temporary Accommodation, this may only be until the council can find a suitable private rented property for you. Salford Housing Options Point can also help you access private rented accommodation and can provide financial support for deposits and Rent In Advance.
For single people where the council does not have to provide Temporary Accommodation and who have nowhere to go and who are street homeless or at risk of being street homeless, we can refer you to the ABEN team.
The ABEN team manages accommodation for single people. If ABEN does not have any room available, they will put you on a waiting list.