Lots of our advice is the same regardless of your ethnicity, but there are some areas that affect Ethnic Minority People disproportionately compared to others.

You have the right to feel safe in your home, and the area in which you live.

If you are living in rented accommodation that is provided by a community landlord and feel unsafe because of racial hate, then you should report this to your local housing office.

You can also make a homelessness application to your local council, and apply to the community landlord waiting list.  Explain the reasons why you feel unsafe. The council should look at your circumstances and decide whether or not the accommodation is suitable for you to continue living there.

If you disagree with the council’s decision, get help immediately.

Asking for security measures in rented accommodation

If you live in rented accommodation and are being harassed, then you can ask the landlord if they can help you with improved security such as window locks, spy holes and door chains. If your landlord doesn’t allow this then get help. Depending on whether you have a community landlord or a private landlord and the type of change you are asking for, you may be able to use equality law to help get the changes made.

If you have a community landlord you could also ask for a waiting list transfer to other accommodation. Providing the council or community landlord with evidence of the harassment will be helpful.

If you have nowhere to stay, you should contact your local council’s housing department and ask to make a homelessness application. The council may have to help you find temporary accommodation, whilst they look at your application.

Take a look at our step-by-step guide to find out what will happen when you make a homelessness application.

Any emergency or temporary accommodation the council give you must be suitable and  you should feel safe from racial hate or abuse.

It is really important that you tell the council about your needs and any concerns that you have. If you do not think the accommodation is suitable you can ask the council to look at it again (this is called a ‘review‘) but you should not refuse an offer without getting help first. Otherwise they may not have to offer you anything else.

If you find it difficult to talk about your concerns with the council, try to take someone you trust with you to any appointments.

If you are aged 25 ur under, read more about how the council can help you if you are homeless in our dedicated young person’s advice section here.

In the meantime, you could ask a friend if you can stay with them while you sort out a place. If you do manage to stay with a friend, you should  still be classed as homeless.

Landlord harassment is a criminal offence and it is unlawful for a landlord to evict you without following the right legal process.

Harassment can be anything that your landlord does intentionally or indirectly  to upset your life or to make you leave your property. It can include:

• cutting off or restricting gas, electricity or water supply
• visiting your home regularly without warning
• interfering with your post
• threatening you
• entering your home when you are not there, without your permission
• beginning disruptive repair works and not finishing them
• harassing you because of your gender, race or sexuality
• asking you personal questions about your identity, race or religion
• making comments that are offensive or racist.

There are practical steps you can take:

• write to or email your landlord or letting agent to tell them to stop harassing or threatening you
• tell them they are acting unlawfully and if it continues you will take legal action
• have a friend or adviser with you whenever you have to deal with your landlord in person.

Contact the police if your landlord makes you feel unsafe in your home, uses racist language, threatens you with violence or is violent.

If you are worried about your safety, call 999 immediately.

Read more about harassment here.

If you are a young person who acts as interpreter for an adult, for example by going with them to appointments, then you may be classed as a young carer. Take a look at our young carers advice page for more information.

If you are worried that racism is affecting your mental health, Young Minds has some practical advice and help.

Ethnic Minorities Youth Support Team (EYST) provides support for Black, Asian and minority ethnic families and individuals.

BAWSO provides support and help to Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) communities, victims and people affected or at risk of domestic abuse and all forms of violence.

Henna Foundation offers support to Muslim women and their families.

If you are a young person, use our Support Near You search tool to find other services in your area.

BMHS promote mental health within ethnic minority communities by providing support, education and advocacy

Women Connect First are a charity working to empower ethnic minority women in Wales

You can access useful information on the Equality & Human Rights Commission (EHRC) and Equlity Advisory Support Service (EASS) websites.