Leaving prison

If you are in prison and will have nowhere to live when you get out, you should start to sort out your housing when you have a few months left to serve.

If you only have a few days left, or you have already left prison, please read our section on being homeless.

Finding somewhere to live can be difficult so:

  • Start looking for somewhere as soon as possible
  • Ask family and friends for help
  • Ask prison staff for help, most prisons have special teams to help you with housing
  • Speak to us and ask for help
  • Think about looking for private property that may suit your needs.

Applying for housing with us

You can apply to join the council’s housing register, but there are lots of people on it at any one time and if you have debts from a previous property or have caused any anti-social behaviour before, your application may be rejected.

Applying with private landlords

We work with landlords in Wigan Borough who have private housing available for rent.

In some cases, we can help you arrange the deposit and rent in advance with a letting agent, or get you support so you can afford it.

If you are thinking of moving to a new area for a fresh start, speak to your named prison officer who can help you find the right people to speak to.

If you have any queries, you can:

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