PERN First Steps Housing aims to prevent street homelessness for new refugees in Carlisle and West Cumbria. Becoming street homeless is a real risk. Once you get refugee status, you quickly receive 28 days notice to leave the accommodation you have been placed in, and you need to find your own place to live. This can be very difficult, especially if you are a solo man as you are not top of the list to be housed by the council.

Some new refugees, having had a good experience living in Carlisle or West Cumbria and after having made friends, want to remain local. We can help.

PERN First Steps Housing can provide new refugees like you support and advice in finding housing, while empowering you to take the next step forward. This support could involve being connected to private landlords, help to fill in applications or attend viewings, advice on council processes for housing and hostels and information about safe sofa surfing. This will help you to clarify your next steps.

We may also connect you to our ‘Rent a Room to a New Refugee’ scheme, which is Penrith and Eden Refugee Network’s scheme to link landlords and new refugees in Carlisle and West Cumbria to help prevent refugees becoming street homeless. Alternatively, we may be able to help you to find a room in a shared house with other refugees.

The refugees who are eligible for our Rent a Room scheme are single people (or people with a partner overseas) who will pay a fair rent for lodging, but with “excluded tenancy” rights. If you are interested in being connected to a local person with a spare room, you can read our briefing pack below. If you are a local person with a spare room, you can find more information here.