If You Have To Leave

• Try to take all important papers with you i.e. birth certificate, passport (for identification), National Insurance number, driving licence, bank book, medical card, address book, exam certificates, benefit papers etc.
• Pack only essential clothes and toiletries - you may have to carry your stuff around. You can get the rest later if you can't take it all now.
• Save as much money as you can in advance.
• If you can, set off early in the day and preferably early in the week. A lot of the places that can help you are only open in office hours, and not at weekends.
• Bear in mind that sorting out benefits as well as a place to stay usually takes a lot of time and can be stressful - be prepared for delays and frustration.

If you want to let someone know you are safe without phoning them yourself, phone Message Home or the Runaway Helpline (for under-18s) who will pass the message on for you without saying where you are.