Homelessness means more than just sleeping rough. If you are living in a hostel or bed and breakfast or staying temporarily with friends because you have nowhere else to go, you are homeless.

If you are threatened with homelessness, that is, if you think you may lose your home soon for whatever reason, you should immediately contact your local authority and, if necessary, get advice about your situation from a Citizens Information Centre or Threshold.

Qualifying Criteria for Homeless Supports

The following criteria applies:

• You must be on Westmeath County Council’s housing waiting list.
• You must be genuinely homeless or at risk of homelessness and able to prove that this is so.

Accommodation for homeless people, depending upon whether the need is for short-term, long-term, transitional or emergency reasons, can take the form of local authority housing, hostel type accommodation (provided by statutory agencies or voluntary organisations), emergency B&B accommodation provided in the private sector, or suitable private rented accommodation.

Emergency Accommodation

If you are in immediate need for emergency accommodation, please present as homeless before 12pm at the housing counter of your nearest local authority office (Athlone or Mullingar)

Emergency Accommodation provided by the Local Authority may take the form of hostel accommodation if available. This provision is assessed on a case by case basis.

Contact Details

Midlands Simon Community Out of Hours helpline from 4pm (Monday – Friday) and from 6pm (Saturday and Sunday) on 087 445 4542