Hammersmith and Fulham Council is increasing the setting up home allowance for care leavers moving into council tenancies, providing greater support as they transition to independent living. The allowance is intended to help care leavers make their new flats feel like theirs, so they can spend that money actually setting up their home so it feels like theirs, so they'll have more successful tenancy as a result.
The decision to increase the allowance from £2,000 to £3,000 was revealed during a meeting of the Children and Education Policy and Accountability Committee on Monday 30 June 2025. Councillor Alex Sanderson, Deputy Leader and Responsible for Children and Education, highlighted the change as a tangible outcome of the council's co-production efforts with young people.
Our young people told us that that wasn't enough,
said Councillor Sanderson, referring to the previous £2,000 allowance. Councillor Sanderson stated that Hammersmith and Fulham has the most generous offer in the country around housing for our care, our young care experienced.
The increased allowance aims to provide care leavers with more financial stability as they establish their first homes.
In addition to the increased allowance, the council is also providing flooring and white goods for young people moving into council tenancies. This additional support addresses the high costs associated with setting up a home, ensuring that young people can use the allowance for other essential items to make their new house a home.
Beyond the allowance and white goods, the council also provides other forms of support to care leavers, such as the Carers Young Care Leavers Hub, which is a building designed with young people, a transitions team, and a supported internship program.
Councillor Sanderson shared a touching anecdote about the impact of these changes: It's so good to know that what I said mattered,
a 26-year-old former care leaver told her, highlighting the importance of listening to and acting on the voices of young people in the borough.
The council's commitment to co-production ensures that services are designed with the input of those who use them, leading to more effective and responsive support for young people in Hammersmith and Fulham. More information on the council's work with young people can be found on the Open Council Network.