Emergency housing is accessed through Work and Income. Here are the steps to follow.

Step 1 - Call them

• If you're under 65, call 0800 559 009

• If you're 65 and over, call 0800 552 002

• If you get Youth Payment or Young Parent Payment, call your youth coach. If you don't know how to contact your youth coach, call your Youth Service provider and ask for your youth coach. You can find the contact details for your Youth Service provider on the Youth Services website. If your youth coach isn't available, call them on 0800 559 009

Step 2 - They'll discuss your housing options

They'll talk with you about your situation and what housing options you might have. For example, staying with family or friends.

If they think you qualify for emergency housing, they'll book an appointment for you.

Step 3 - At your appointment

NB: If you have a key worker, peer support or community support worker - BRING THEM WITH YOU. They do not need to say anything. Their mere presence will streamline the process.

They'll confirm whether you qualify for emergency housing.

As part of this discussion, they'll check there are no other housing options available to you.

They'll check if transitional housing is available

If there's a space in transitional housing, you can stay there for a few months while you find a more permanent home.

If there are no spaces in transitional housing, they'll look at emergency housing options.

Long Term Public Housing

Follow the same steps as Emergency Housing.

You will need to provide these documents:

They'll also ask you to gather some documents and drop them off to one of their service centres. They'll let you know what documents you need to get. These could be:

• proof of who you are, such as your birth certificate, passport or driver licence
• proof of any income (after tax) you've got in the last 52 weeks, such as wages, holiday pay, family tax credits and any other income
• proof of any assets you have and their value
• your business accounts, if you have your own business
• trust documents, if you're involved in a trust, such as trust deed, deed of debt, gift statements, or accounts
• full birth certificates for each dependent child in your care.

They may ask you to bring the same documents for other members of your household who are moving with you. Household members are people who permanently live with you.