So you need to find a place...

Moving out on your own can look like a very expensive option. Oxfordshire is one of the most expensive places in the country for housing, whether you're talking rentals, buying or even temporary accommodation.

One option is to move to somewhere cheaper. But you don't have to go out-of-county. Even in Oxford itself, there are pockets of cheap housing.

Almost always, it depends on what you're prepared to put up with. Houses are cheaper if they're small, in a poor condition, in a bad area, have lots of people staying in them.

Almost everyone starts out living somewhere less than ideal, but there are limits to what you should put up with.

• Key Link: Moving Out, step by step, Housing Rights

Get creative

Need to move out but short of funds? There are ways to find a place to live on the cheap. There are hostels, lodgings and some neat schemes that might do the trick. It might not be ideal, but it's a lot better than being homeless.

This is just an example of what's on offer. Use the Housing Contacts to find out more.

• Ask at School Here to study, or at a college? Most colleges have housing officers, many have cheap housing. Ask what they can do for you.
• Stay with friends or relatives A fantastic option, as it gives you somewhere safe to stay with people you trust. However, don't rely on this or you will rapidly have ex-friends and unsympathetic relatives. You should consider paying them and/or offering help around the house, babysitting etc. as part of the deal.
• Ask at a housing advice centre If you need a place to go? Check out your options by talking to a young person's adviser at a Connexions Centre, to your local youth worker, or to workers at an organisation offering specialist housing advice for young people like BYHP.
• Homeshare This county council scheme gives you a place to stay in an older or disabled person's house. In return for rent-free accommodation, you provide companionship and help with basic tasks (such as gardening or shopping). This can take a long time to organise as everyone involved has to be police-checked and carefully matched, to make sure they'll get along. Find out more about Homeshare.
• Affordable housing schemes offer people who are earning less or need to live in certain places help to buy or rent their own place. Examples are schemes like HomeSwap, Choice Based Letting or Right to Buy. Available varies according to your circumstances and where you need to live. Find out more about affordable housing.
• Council Housing or Housing Association Housing Council Housing is property owned by your Local Authority. Housing Association Housing is owned by Housing Cooperatives. They both offer housing at a reasonable rent, and takes care of some of the upkeep of the property. If you're over 18, you can apply to be put on the council house waiting list. It usually takes a long time to get a property this way. For details of these schemes you need to contact your local District Council.

District Council	Contact
Cherwell	BYHP (01295) 259442 Housing Options Officer - (01295) 221809
Oxford City	Oxford Housing Adviceline 0344 515 1873 9.30am-1pm
South Oxfordshire	Housing needs - 01491 823000
Vale of White Horse	Housing Advice Team - (01235) 520202/0808 1001617
West Oxfordshire	Housing Services - 01993 861010

Related topics: Moving out, step by step, Homeless

Experience: Referred to a hostel

At last the referral went through and I got a phone call, and I went for an interview. They asked me all sorts of things, name, address, had I been to prison, did I use drugs, things like that. I had no problems answering the questions because I’ve got nothing to hide. Basically, they offered me a bed there, and I accepted. The service assigns you a key worker who can work with you to get what you want, help you get a job or get onto a course. You also agree to do certain things, e.g. if you make appointments at the job centre, you have to turn up for them. There’s always staff there, if you need someone to talk to, 24/7, even if it’s not your key worker. At first it was very intense because I’d never really been in that sort of situation, but gradually over the last few weeks I’ve settled in. I’ve started to make a few friends. Things are going better, and I’m going back to college in the autumn to study hairdressing, I’ve got some voluntary work doing flyering, things like that. - Ashley,19