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Homelessness

If you don’t have anywhere to live there are a number of organisations that assist with finding accommodation and other services that can help you with related issues, such as family violence or debt problems.

Homeless Persons’ Legal Clinic

The Homeless Persons’ Legal Clinic provides free legal assistance to, and acts on behalf of, people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. It is a project of the Public Interest Law Clearing House (PILCH).

The clinic provides legal information and advice about:

  • debt
  • housing and tenancy
  • fines and infringement notices
  • social security and problems with Centrelink
  • guardianship, administration and problems with State Trustees
  • victims of crime assistance and compensation
  • personal injury
  • discrimination
  • mental health
  • bankruptcy.

If you need family law or criminal law assistance, the clinic will do its best to refer you to someone who can help.

The clinic provides services at crisis accommodation centres and welfare agencies, or you can contact them directly. See the PILCH website (link below) for outreach locations and contact details.

Centrelink Crisis Payment

If you've had to leave your home because of severe hardship, you may qualify for Crisis Payment from Centrelink (link below).

Crisis Payment is a one-off payment, equal to one week's payment of the normal Centrelink pension or benefit payment you are entitled to. It is limited to four payments for extreme circumstances in any 12 months.

Emergency accommodation

The Office of Housing manages a housing information and referral service for homeless people. The program is delivered through community organisations across Victoria.

See 'Office of Housing – getting help' (link below) for details of the service closest to you.

You can also call 1800 825 955 to speak with a housing and support worker, if you are homeless, at risk of homelessness or escaping family violence. The service is available 24 hours a day.

Public housing

Public housing is rental accommodation for people whose circumstances mean they can’t afford to pay ‘market rates’ of rent. If you’re homeless you can apply for ‘early housing’, which means that you won’t have to wait as long as other people.

More information

Homelessness – frequently asked questions

Related websites

Centrelink – Crisis Payment

Office of Housing

Office of Housing – getting help

PILCH – Homeless Persons’ Legal Clinic

How we can help

Call Victoria Legal Aid’s (VLA) Legal Information Service for free information over the phone about the law and how we can help you with your legal problem. You can speak to a legal information officer in English or ask for an interpreter. Phone (03) 9269 0120 or 1800 677 402 (country callers), Monday to Friday from 8.45 am to 5.15 pm.

VLA’s other free legal services include:

  • advice at VLA offices and other locations across Victoria
  • lawyers who are on ‘duty’ to help at many courts and tribunals.

For some matters we can provide you with a lawyer to help you run your case.

To find out more about any of our legal services see What we do.

Who else can help?

The PILCH Homeless Persons’ Legal Clinic (see above).