Financial help when you leave prison
You can apply for a discharge grant of £46 from prison before you are released.
If you have found accommodation for your first night on release, you can also apply for an extra grant of about £50 which will be paid directly to the accommodation provider.
You can also get help through the North Yorkshire Local Assistance Fund. Find out how to apply on the North Yorkshire Local Assistance Fund website. You can do this before you are released, especially if you need help to buy clothes or to cover the costs of moving into new accommodation.
For welfare support, arrange an appointment with your prison advisor. They will help to prepare you for your release.
Release on home detention curfew or tag
If you are being released on tag, your offender manager needs to approve your accommodation to make sure it complies with your sentence or licence conditions.
Some other housing providers will accept applications if you are on tag. Contact the Resettlement Advice Service on 0300 123 1999 for advice.
Options if you cannot return home
Speak to your offender manager before you are released. You might be referred to approved premises, such as a probation hostel. Places are very limited and are generally reserved for those who are considered high risk and under public protection arrangements. If you are worried about where you will live, call the Resettlement Advice Service on 0300 123 1999.
Options if you are homeless on release
Most people return to family or friends at first. If your relationships have broken down, prison staff may be able to reconnect with them. It is very difficult to find housing on release because waiting lists for social housing are long. That is why it is really important not to dismiss family and friends as an option.
Emergency housing options
If you need somewhere to stay in an emergency, please contact us.
Your options include:
- our No Second Night Out scheme, which aims to help the homeless get off the streets as quickly as possible - more details are available on the City of York Council website
- bed and breakfast accommodation
You can find details of local night shelters, direct access hostels and day centres by contacting the Resettlement Advice Service.
Let us know
Tell us as soon as possible if you think you are going to be homeless on your release. We can offer you advice and help you to find accommodation up to 56 days before your release date. It is likely that it will be private sector accommodation.
Supported housing providers
Supported housing providers can:
- help you deal with specific issues that may have led to your imprisonment
- help you live independently and adjust to being back in the community
- provide different levels of support depending on the type of accommodation service and your needs
You can contact us to get in touch with the supported housing providers.
Private renting
Renting accommodation privately:
- gives you more choice of location and property type
- is a sensible option if you have some savings
- family and friends can help you to look for a property and may help you financially
We can help you to find private rented accommodation. We can also talk to you about credit unions who can help you to pay your rent bonds in advance.
What to do if you are not from Ryedale
If you have nowhere to go and you do not have a local connection to Ryedale, we may refer you to another area where you do have a local connection. They will assess your needs, give you advice and support and decide if they can offer you accommodation.
If you do not want to return to your local area
If you want to move away from your local area, you can:
- stay with family or friends in a different area
- rent somewhere privately
If you want to move to an area where you do not know anyone, and you cannot rent privately, you could return to your local area for a short time. This will give you more housing options and time to think about your next steps. If you are on licence, you will need to check with your offender manager before you move to a new area. Your supervision arrangements may need to be transferred.
Help with renting a property
To rent a property you will usually need:
- good character references from a previous landlord or employer
- money for a deposit and rent in advance
- money to pay your rent
If you need help to pay your rent, you can apply for Housing Benefit or Universal Credit Housing Element.
Financial help
The level of financial help depends on where you live and who else lives with you and is worked out from the local housing allowance.
Rates are set for different types of accommodation in each area. The rates range from a single room in a shared house up to larger properties with four bedrooms.
If you are under 35, you will only be able to get rent to cover you for a room in a shared house. You must be at least 35 to qualify for a self-contained one-bedroom property.