Finding accommodation and paying rent
We believe everyone deserves a decent and secure place to live. There are many housing options available, and the right one for you will depend on your individual circumstances.
It’s important to know that there aren’t enough council or housing association homes in the Lancaster District to meet everyone’s needs. Because of this, you’ll need to explore a range of alternatives to improve your chances of finding a suitable home.
Finding a home that meets your needs can be challenging. This page will guide you through where to look and what to consider, helping you make informed choices.
- What are my options?
- How do I pay for accommodation?
- Furnishing your home
- Quality and standards of rented property
What are my options?
Staying with family or friends
Unless you’re in an emergency, it’s better to stay with family or friends while you look for a home. This should help you save money for your move, find or keep a job, and collect household essentials whilst staying somewhere familiar and safe, it will cost less but it’s a good idea to help or contribute to costs to stay on good terms.
Social Housing
You can register for social housing at Ideal Choice Homes by completing an application form and uploading the requested supporting information. Your application will be assessed to ensure that you are eligible and meet our qualification criteria. Applications are assessed in line with our Allocation Policy and if you are eligible and qualify, your application will be placed in the priority band that reflects your current housing situation. You will then be able to bid on properties that are advertised.
You can also apply directly to other social housing providers in the Lancaster district who only advertise 50% of their vacant properties on the Ideal Choices Homes website. If you want to do this, we can provide you with details of social landlords who have the type of accommodation that you are looking for in your areas of preference.
Unfortunately, we don’t have social housing for everyone, and even people with the greatest need often wait well over a year before they’re offered somewhere to live.
There is very high demand for social housing and there are currently long waiting times within all priority bands for general needs accommodation. For example, at the end of March 2025 there were over 1,500 people on the waiting list and in the previous 12 months only 241 households had moved into general needs social housing.
There are shorter waiting times for supported accommodation for applicants aged over 55, these are usually one-bedroom flats and studios.
Private Rented Accommodation
You can rent privately either direct from a landlord or through a letting agent. Rents can be higher than in social housing but provide faster access to accommodation and greater area choice.
We run an accredited property scheme. Properties that are accredited have been inspected and approved by the council and will all be of a good standard. Landlords of accredited properties have undertaken to meet and maintain specified standards. Lists of vacant accredited properties are available from our housing offices and from other local agencies.
There are lots of places to look for a property to rent privately
There are many websites that advertise properties and room shares and include:
Facebook has pages such as:
- Flats and Houses to rent in Lancaster
- Houses/flats/rooms to rent in the Morecambe, Lancaster and surrounding area
- Private selling/renting of houses/lockups in Lancaster/Morecambe are
You could join these pages and post your own details and state the type of property you are looking for. Only put basic details on any notices and don’t give personal details such as your current address.
Local papers often carry adverts giving details of property available for rent. The advert will usually say if a deposit is required, and whether the landlord will accept Housing Benefit claimants, children or pets. There is no guarantee that the properties will have been checked by the council.
Local shops often have cards in their windows where landlords can advertise their properties. You could also put up a card of your own with details of the type of property you are looking for
Estate agents and Letting agencies are usually able to offer a choice of accommodation. However, some agencies have policies that exclude young and unemployed people, and some may also charge you a fee for drafting tenancy agreements and inventories.
How do I pay for accommodation?
Running a home is expensive, not only do you have to pay the rent but there are other things you must pay for too such as gas, electricity, water rates, council tax, telephone and TV licence. You may also have to pay a deposit and rent in advance before you move in. If you are on a low income or unemployed you may be able to get help towards the rent from Housing Benefit. Always make sure before you move into a new home that you can afford to live there.
Deposits and Rent in Advance
If you have been allocated social housing, there is unlikely to be costs for deposits and rent in advance although you should check this before accepting an offer, so you are aware of what you need to pay. The property will be unfurnished and probably not have carpets so you should consider this when budgeting.
If you are already in receipt of housing benefit or housing costs within your universal credit then you may be able to request a Discretionary housing payment to help with deposits, rent in advance or moving costs.
Housing Benefit
Housing Benefit may be provided to help you towards the cost of paying your rent. The amount of benefit you eventually receive will depend on:
- Your income
- The size, gender and age of your family
- The property you are renting and how old you are.
If you live on your own and are under 25 you will usually only receive a reduced level of benefit. You should also bear in mind that housing benefit will only pay for the size of property that you need, so it won't pay for any spare rooms. If the Housing Benefit you receive is less than your rent, you must make up the difference unless you can agree a lower rent with your landlord.
The Local Housing Allowance (LHA) shows the maximum amount of benefit you can receive, but you may receive less depending on your income.
You can find out the LHA for anywhere in the country by going to www.gov.uk.
The following table gives the current maximum levels for the Lancaster District:
| Room capacity | Cost per week | Cost per month |
| Shared Room Rate (under 35) | £90.75 | £394.33 |
| 1- bedroom rate | £109.32 | £475.02 |
| 2-bedroom rate | £132.33 | £575.01 |
| 3-bedroom rate | £149.59 | £650.00 |
| 4-bedroom rate | £166.85 | £725.00 |
Furnishing your home
Options include local Facebook pages, charity shops and Furniture Matters or Under One Roof can provide low-cost white goods and furniture.
You may be eligible for a budgetting loan if you have been in receipt of certain benefits for six months.
You may also be able to get support from the Household Support Fund , which aims to provide longer term support to people who are struggling financially.
Quality and standards of rented property
Disabled facilities grants are available to help pay for adaptations to your home to meet your needs.
The council and local housing associations also have accommodation that has been designed for people with special needs, or can be adapted.
Last updated: 28 November 2025