We are launching Freedom Futures in April 2025!
We are looking for Care Leavers who want to share a 2-bed flat in Headington, Oxford.
Do you have a young person in mind?
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Freedom Futures Right for My Young Person?
Freedom Futures is for capable Care Leavers who are wanting to move out of the care system into independent privately rented accommodation, and who are serious about making the most of every opportunity for a bright and successful future.
We understand that privately renting is not a suitable option for every young person because it requires a certain level of maturity, competence and engagement. However, we are aware that a number of Care Leavers are keen and able to manage a private tenancy if they could overcome the multiple systemic barriers preventing them.
Children’s Services and the Private Rental Sector are two very different systems that are not entirely compatible. We don’t think it’s fair that Care Leavers should miss out because of systemic issues beyond their control.
For example:
Not being able to quickly or easily access their funds for a deposit through Children’s Services.
Only being able to apply for charitable deposit scheme funds retrospectively as a reimbursement after move-in.
Not being able to compete with multiple property applications from experienced working professionals who are a ‘safe bet’ for landlords.
Still experiencing stigma associated with claiming Universal Credit despite it being illegal for landlords to advertise ‘no DSS’.
We have published detailed ‘Eligibility Criteria’ for you to review. If you have a young person in mind who does not quite meet the criteria but who you think could thrive at Freedom Futures, then we encourage you to make contact for a discussion.
What is the Application Process?
We have designed our application process in such a way as to get to know both Care Leaver and Personal Advisor (PA). This also provides ample opportunity to explain the Freedom Futures model over several sessions, and to ensure that the young person is fully aware of their rights and responsibilities in order to make an informed, unpressured decision to enter into a private rental agreement.
You can click on this link to find out more about the ‘Application Process’.
Once we have met several times with you and your young person, we will all be able to decide if Freedom Futures is the right option for them. If it is, then we will ask you both to sign a ‘Participation Agreement’. It is likely that we will be meeting with several young people and PA’s, so the Participation Agreement is a milestone in the application process which effectively signifies that a room is being held for your young person, and that they are no longer pursuing any other alternatives as their primary option. With this assurance we can set about drawing up the tenancy agreement and help with tasks such organising Universal Credit Housing Element direct payments and providing notice to their current accommodation. We have our own templates to make the process as simple as possible.
How does Freedom Futures Work?
The Freedom Futures Model works by bridging the gap between Children’s Services and private landlords to create a ‘safety margin’ for Care Leavers and reduce the ‘risk’ to private landlords. We understand the common issues that could easily derail a rigid private tenancy such as:
An unexpected delay in deposit funds being released by Children’s Services to a young person.
An unexpected underpayment in Universal Credit (UC) payment to a young person which requires unpicking with UC Team.
The young person accidentally locking themselves out of their banking services or losing their bank card/ID.
With a foot in both systems, Freedom Futures is able to cushion the impact of issues from both sides to protect and maintain a stable tenancy for Care Leavers.
The Freedom Futures Model
What is the Freedom Futures Framework?
Our approach blends several Social Work models to help Care Leavers feel safe and empowered. You can follow this link to learn more about ‘The Framework’.
Will My Young Person Be Able to Afford a Private Tenancy?
Yes. Freedom Futures is designed specifically for Care Leavers, with the expectation that the majority of applicants will be in receipt of Universal Credit. Therefore, we set our rental rates in accordance with the Local Allowance Housing Rates so that they are always affordable to Care Leavers. We will also support our tenants to take full advantage of policy designed for Care Leavers such as 100% council tax exemption and access to the 1-bedroom housing rate.
It is important for you and your Care Leaver to understand that young people will be issued a tenancy in their name. This means that they will be 100% responsible for rental and utility payments as they would be in any other private rental arrangement. However the benefit of renting through us is that we are able to provide a certain degree flexibility and grace while Care Leavers are adapting to the stark transition between living in the Children’s Services Housing Pathway and the private sector.
We are aware that entitlements change for Care Leavers at ages 21 and 25. We are continually planning ahead with tenants and their Personal Advisor’s to ensure that a young person does not become at risk of homelessness. We anticipate ‘bumps in the road’ and we want to address these together with as much time as possible to find a creative solution.
How Long Can My Young Person Stay with Freedom Futures?
We intend Freedom Futures to be a safe springboard from living in care to living fully independently. We don’t believe that long-term social housing is the answer for the majority of young people, and we hope that when our tenants are ready to leave us, they will continue their housing journey in the private sector.
You can follow this link to learn more about the Freedom Futures ‘Move-On Options’.
What About Paying Bills?
Splitting the bill is always a tricky business, whether it’s dividing up the cost of a group meal at a restaurant, or sharing the electricity bill in a student share-house. The housing element of Universal Credit does not provide funds for utilities so this will be a separate shared cost for tenants.
We are currently in the process of collaborating with our letting agency partner to determine the best approach. We don’t want utility bills to be a barrier and we are confident that we can find the simplest and most cost-effective solution. After all, we are in the business of helping Care Leavers succeed!
What About the Matching Process?
It is important to remember that Freedom Futures is a private rental scheme and Care Leavers will be treated in a similar way to any other young adult looking to rent a flat-share. For this reason there is no formal ‘matching process’ which you would expect to see in a supported accommodation setting. Instead, we use the enquiry phase as the opportunity to get to know young people and their Personal Advisors (PAs). As experienced Social Workers trained in risk assessment, we will collaborate with you as the PA to determine if Freedom Futures is the right fit for your young person.
We will explain the importance of openness and honesty during the initial meetings, and request permission from the young person to have a copy of their Pathway Plan and any previous Risk Assessments. As adults exploring a private rental agreement they are under no obligation to provide this information. Therefore we will also rely on your expertise as a PA to recommend only those young people who in your professional opinion can emotionally and practically manage a tenancy with another young person.
Has this been done before?
We believe Freedom Futures to be the first scheme of its kind in the UK. We are partnering with a leading local letting agency to combine our Social Care expertise with their property and lettings expertise - its a perfect match!
The letting agent works solely with the landlord to ensure that housing legislation is fully adhered to, while we focus on supporting Care Leavers through the tenancy preparation and sign up process. We also remain on hand throughout the tenancy to ensure that Care Leavers are supported as much or as little as they wish. Because this is a private tenancy and not supported housing, there is no obligation for Care Leavers to engage in a specific number of support hours per week. All that we ask is to pop in once a week, at a time convenient to the young person, to make sure they are coping and have everything they need.
However, if the young person is willing, then we are keen to work alongside Personal Advisors (PAs) to help each tenant achieve the goals they have set in their Pathway Plan. We understand PAs are stretched, and being Social Work qualified ourselves means that we are ready and willing to lend a hand in helping our tenants to reach their potential.
We have created a fact sheet outlining the ‘Roles & Responsibilities’ of each party in more detail.
What About Risk Management?
The greatest concern for Social Care professionals when it comes to young people is quite rightly always safety and risk. We are experienced in Social Care and it has been a priority to develop a robust risk management strategy for Freedom Futures.
All tenants will be over the age of 18 so child safeguarding legislation does not apply. However, we recognise that just because someone is legally an adult does not mean that they cannot be at risk, or indeed pose a risk themselves.
Our overall vision is for Care Leavers to succeed in the private rental sector, and for this reason we are committed to looking at the ‘big picture’ when it comes to dealing with risk and responding to risky or unexpected behaviour.
We have broadly summarised our ‘Risk Management’ approach to give you a taste of our ethos. However, we also have a comprehensive Risk Management Strategy addressing specific anticipated risks. This is available upon request and will also be covered as part of the enquiry process.
Get in touch!
We’d love to talk more about your young person becoming a Freedom Futures tenant.
Fill out the form below and we can talk to you about the next steps…