For information on accommodation for tenants, leaseholders and landlords see green buttons at the top of the page.

We're continuing to support some residents with hotel bookings and we will carry on renewing hotel bookings where needed.

What we have done so far

After the fire, we placed 28 households in emergency accommodation and there are currently nine households still in hotels.

We're working with residents on a case-by-case basis and based on their individual needs help them secure longer-term accommodation options.

This includes properties which are affordable homes in Barking and Dagenham. So far, 14 households have moved into these properties, with two more to hopefully follow within the next week.  

We’re also providing furniture packs including white goods to help you get back on their feet.  

In some instances, residents have found their own long-term accommodation and where required we have funded deposit and rent in advance payments.  

The support available to residents is now at our Community Assistance Centre based at Dagenham Library. Here you can access support including food, wellbeing support and face-to-face practical support.  

Community Assistance Centre opening hours are as follows: 

Monday - Sunday 12pm – 4pm 

Address: Dagenham Library, 1 Church Elm Ln, Dagenham RM10 9QS 

You can find out more about the facilities available at Dagenham Library here

If you need a location to re-direct mail while your longer-term accommodation is being worked through, this can be re-directed to a local sorting office in Dagenham. 

This service will remain free for up to three months.

To arrange this, please call Royal Mail on 03457 777 888.

If you've already paid for this service, Royal Mail will automatically issue a refund to you. If you have any questions regarding the status of your refund, please call Royal Mail on the number above.

Collecting your mail 

If you've redirected your mail to the Dagenham Delivery Office, please note ID must be presented on collection. If you don't currently have ID, they will accept a Barking and Dagenham Council headed paper verification letter as ID.

The delivery office have been made aware of this and opening hours are as follows:

Address

Dagenham Delivery Office,

Boxoll Road,

Dagenham,

RM9 5UH

Opening hours

Monday:

8am to 10pm

Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday:

8am to 10am and 4pm to 6pm

Saturday:

8am to 12pm

Our Homes and Money Hub will facilitate the following to reduce the burden on residents and simplify processes: 

• Documents: support replacing Driving Licences and Passports
• Referrals to CAB for Immigration Support from an independent Legal Representative
• Referrals for those in receipt of benefits, they can be considered for the Flexible Support Fund and also mental health support in the JCP too for residents that are in receipt of benefit. 10 sessions to support them with PTSD, trauma stress etc can be in person sessions too. The support is fairly instant.
• Morrisons £25 food vouchers
• Referrals to Shelter/Regulatory Services to support residents whose rent deposits aren’t being returned. 
• Money Advise, Income Maximisation, grant application (if eligible)
• Safe Families Program: Safe Families has capacity to take more referrals for families within Barking and Dagenham as part of the Family Hub provider. 
  Safe Families use volunteers to provide family led, relational based practice to help families reduce isolation and increase emotional wellbeing and parental capacity. Our support is a minimum of 6 months. 

Family Hubs

The Family Hubs in Marks Gate, Barking Learning Centre and Dagenham Library provide services for children to learn play and enjoy themselves in a safe space, the sessions are interactive and supportive. Each of the Family Hubs has a team of Family Navigators who will provide support for families with children 0-19.

The timetable of services can be found on the Start For Life website. 

Each of the hubs have a library area where young people can access computers to support their learning.

We’ve been working with specific government departments behind the scenes to streamline and fast track the replacement of personal documents including passports, driving licences, and birth certificates.

Please see the information below to start the process to replace your documents. If you need further help, please visit the Community Assistance Centre at Dagenham Library, 12pm to 4pm daily for additional support.

The deadline for fast-track applications is midday on Friday 6 September.

Replacing British Passports

Information from His Majesty’s Passport Office (HMPO)

Before applying to replace your passport, you should report that your passport is no longer in your possession to His Majesty’s Passport Office. Please visit: www.gov.uk/report-a-lost-or-stolen-passport

If you do not need a passport urgently, please apply for your replacement passport in the usual way. You can expect to receive a replacement passport within three weeks of applying. It’s cheaper and simpler to apply online, at: www.gov.uk/apply-renew-passport

If you need to replace your passport more quickly, HM Passport Office may be able to process an application under its urgent and compassionate criteria. Please contact the Passport Adviceline on 0300 222 0000

In addition to the above, the HMPO teams have a list of everyone impacted by the fire and will seek to ensure a joined up and speedy response to any requests.

If you have an urgent need to travel and cannot afford replacement documents please speak to your Homes and Money Hub caseworker or email homesandmoneyhub@lbbd.gov.uk  for further advice.

Replacement documents including Biometric Residents Permits, leave to remain and settled status

To apply for replacement documents via the Home Office, please complete a short form using the button below. Please note, you will need to complete individual forms for each person who needs replacement documents.  

Apply for replacement documents

Replacement driving licenses and vehicle registration documents

Please complete the following forms to replace your driving license and/or vehicle registration documents:

Replacement driving license

Replacement vehicle registration document

Replacement passports and ID cards for overseas nationals

The Foreign Commonwealth Office have advised that you should contact your home country’s embassy or consulate direct, as they will be able to assist with replacing your documents and passports. 

As requirements are different for every country this will be the fastest way to receive your replacements.

See a list of all foreign embassies in the UK

Mind in Havering

• Gateway Telephone Service: The first point of contact for anyone seeking support for themselves or someone else’s mental health. This includes self-referrals as well as carers, GPs, health workers, family, friends and colleagues. Mind will work together with you, providing support and signposting you to preventative opportunities for mental health, treatment and recovery. Telephone 01708 47040 or email reach.us@haveringmind.org.uk

   

• Social Inclusion: This project supports adults struggling with their mental health. The project supports individuals to reduce isolation, build self-confidence and improve their mental wellbeing. This is achieved by an initial 1:1 session to establish needs, identify goals and create an action plan. Moving on to workshops to gain new skills to help overcome challenges, gain coping strategies, peer interaction skills, meet new people and improve quality of life.  Telephone: 01708 457040 or email reach.us@haveringmind.org.uk

   

• Safe Connections: This is a service in partnership with NEL, providing local support for people facing suicide. The Community Hub is a telephone support for people experiencing suicidal thoughts. They offer a safe space for people to talk about their feelings, concerns and explore the underlying reasons as to why they may feel suicidal. Telephone 0300 561 0115.

   

• Grief in Pieces: For help to understand grief, develop coping strategies and a safe space to explore thoughts, feelings and offer grief education through closed groups.

Emergency food support is available through the Homes and Money Hubs. Please complete our online form and we will get back to you as a matter of urgency. A caseworker will be allocated to you to provide practical advice and support and will look at your individual circumstances and identify what further support you may need such as benefit entitlement and grant applications if eligible.   

We want to assure you that no council tax payments will be due from the date of the fire.  

If your contact details have changed, please provide us with your up-to-date telephone number or email address. This will help us ensure we can reach you promptly with any important information. 

If you have any queries or would like to speak with us, please email us at ctax@lbbd.gov.uk and use “Spectrum Fire” in the email subject header. We can arrange a call back to you at a time that is convenient for you. 

Hotel emergency accommodation will be provided to NRPF families with children under the age of 18 years who have been affected by fire incident. Please contact our service for further details at NRPF@lbbd.gov.uk or contact the MASH Team at 0208 227 3811.  

For out of hours, please contact the Emergency Duty Team at 0208 594 8356 

If you have children under 18, or if you are pregnant, please register with the Family Hubs by emailing the name and date of birth of each of your family members, please and let us know your phone and/or email address where possible. 

We will allocate a Family Navigator who will work with you as your key worker to provide longer term support that's needed. Please email familynavigators@lbbd.gov.uk or register with the Family Support team in the Community Assistance Centre in Dagenham Library.

Parents may be concerned about the impact of the fire on their children returning, changing or starting school. We would encourage you to discuss this with your child's school. Details for all the school's in the borough can be found here.  

This includes ways to contact the School's Admission service who can also assist with enquiries about starting or changing school. 

On Wednesday 25 September, the counting of the ballots took place and the winning option was Option 1 (split by adult only households and families with children) with 13 votes. 

The counting was filmed and a link to the video was shared with residents. 

Residents should start receiving their share of the total money (£25,737) as of week commencing Monday 30 September.  

Updates will now take place online on Microsoft Teams, every Thursday at 5.30pm. Invites to the meeting will be emailed.

If you think we don’t have your email address, please email muhammad.haque@lbbd.gov.uk

All residents should now have access to their vehicles. If there are any questions, please email katherine.gilcreest@lbbd.gov.uk

If you have any questions for the London Fire Brigade, please contact community.engagement@london-fire.gov.uk

The Lone Fire Brigade have some advice on their website regarding fire safety including a Home Fire Safety Checker: Fire safety at home | London Fire Brigade (london-fire.gov.uk)

A CitizenCard is an official UK ID and proof of age card recognised as such by the Home Office and almost all UK retailers and public transport providers including UK airlines.

You can request a free Citizens card which can be used as a form of ID for things like banks and utilities while you wait for official ID documents.

Please get in touch with the Homes and Money Hub at homesandmoneyhub@lbbd.gov.uk for more information and to book an appointment to arrange this. 

There are still a larger number of items that have been donated from the local community that can be collected including:

• Clothes for women, men, children and babies
• Modesty clothes for Muslim women including head scarves 
• Adults shoes/trainers
• Bedding
• Towels
• Toiletries – toothbrushes, soap, sanitary items, soap
  Baby items – pram, chairs, bath and walker

Items can be collected from Dagenham Learning Centre. 

Moving into a new home, it is important to understand what insurance you need. Money Saving Expert provide some useful information on home and contents insurance.

Face to face support at the Community Assistance Centre: 

Monday - Sunday 12pm – 4pm 

Address: Dagenham Library, 1 Church Elm Ln, Dagenham RM10 9QS 

Phone

Please use 0208 215 3000 for general support Monday - Friday 9am – 5pm. This phone number can also be used outside of working hours for emergency support only.