Could you offer a spare room?
Give a young person aged 16 to 21 a safe, steady place to find their feet. You get training, a team behind you and a weekly allowance.
Supported Lodgings gives a young person at risk of homelessness a safe, stable and caring place to live, in the home of a trusted adult. It's more than a room. It's the chance to rebuild their life.
What a host does
You offer a spare, furnished room and much more than a roof: emotional support, encouragement, and everyday life skills like budgeting, cooking and looking after yourself. The goal is to help the young person move towards an independent, fulfilling future. Some placements last a few months, others longer.
Who the young people are
Young people aged 16 to 21 (and sometimes a little older), from all kinds of backgrounds. Many have faced:
- Family breakdown or neglect
- Time in care, or leaving care
- Arriving in the UK alone as an asylum-seeking child
- Mental health struggles or trauma
- Poverty, or being shut out of education or work
Despite all that, they're resilient, resourceful and ready to move forward. What they need is someone to offer stability and belief: a safe home and a second chance.
Who can host
You don't need qualifications or experience. You can host if you:
- Are over 21
- Have a spare, furnished room
- Can offer a stable, caring home
- Are willing to listen, guide and encourage a young person
- Are happy to have safeguarding checks and training
Single, a couple or a family. Working full time, part time, self-employed or retired. Homeowner or renting (with your landlord's permission). From any background, faith or identity.
You're never on your own
- A dedicated Placement Coordinator matches you and stays involved throughout
- A Support Worker works alongside you and the young person
- Induction training before you start, and training every year after
- Support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
- A friendly network of other hosts, with regular check-ins and resources
Finding the right fit
- You're never matched without your full involvement
- We get to know your lifestyle, boundaries and preferences
- You have time to meet, ask questions and decide together if it feels right
A host's view
You're not there to parent them. You're there to support them as they move towards independence. They're [Step by Step] always there when I need them. It never feels like I'm doing it on my own.
Your journey to becoming a host
- 1Initial enquiryWe arrange a phone call to talk through what being a host involves and answer your questions.
- 2Home visitWe come round for a tour of your home, check your spare room is suitable and talk about Supported Lodgings in more detail.
- 3Initial paperworkA form about you, your family, your lifestyle, your experiences and why you'd like to host, plus a short e-learning course.
- 4References and DBSPersonal and professional references for you (and your partner, if relevant), and DBS checks for anyone over 18 living in your home.
- 5Host assessmentWe check your understanding of a few specific things and give you extra training if you need it.
- 6PanelA panel looks at everything gathered so far and signs you off as ready to host.
- 7MatchingWe match the right young person to you. You meet first to agree expectations and house rules together.
- 8Ongoing support and trainingA Support Worker works alongside you and the young person, and you get training every year.
The money
How the allowance works
It's a weekly amount made up of two parts:
Typical rent rates
Current examples of typical LHA single-room rates (2025). Your support allowance of £70+ a week is paid on top.
| Area | Approximate weekly LHA (single room) |
|---|---|
| Basingstoke | £93.51 |
| Aldershot (Blackwater Valley) | £110.00 |
| Swindon | £103.87 |
| Reading | £90.10 |
| Southampton (and Eastleigh) | £97.81 |
| Weymouth (Mid and West Dorset) | £98.11 |
These figures are reviewed every year by the government and may vary slightly depending on your postcode. Check your local rate on GOV.UK by searching “Local Housing Allowance rates”.
What does it cost to host?
You may see a slight increase in household costs, such as utilities, but the allowance is designed to cover these. Most hosts find the payments comfortably cover any extra costs.
Good to know
- The allowance is non-taxable
- It doesn't usually affect benefits
- You can host more than one young person if your home and circumstances allow
Could someone like me do this?
Five quick true-or-false. Most people get at least one of these wrong.
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Every gift helps a young person find a safe, steady place to live. It costs us £29.78 a day to support a young person rebuilding their life.
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