What is the duty to refer?
From 1 October 2018 there is a new duty on specified public authorities, introduced by the Homelessness Reduction Act, to notify councils of anyone they think may be homeless or threatened with becoming homeless where consent has been given from the individual to do so.
Public authorities that have a duty to refer
The organisations that are responsible for making these referrals are:
- Prisons (public and private)
- Youth offender institutions
- Secure training centres
- Secure colleges
- Youth offending teams
- Probation services (community rehabilitation companies and national probation service)
- Jobcentre Plus
- Accident and emergency services provided in a hospital
- Urgent treatment centres (eg walk in centres)
- In-patient hospitals
- Social service authorities
I am part of an organisation, how can I refer someone?
If you are part of an organisation listed above, please complete the online form to refer someone.
Please be advised that if your referral is urgent and you have client who is homeless today, please can you contact us on 0344 980333 (option 3, option 3) and speak to the Housing Options Team, who will be able to advise you further.
Our phone lines are available between 9am and 4pm (Mon – Fri). Please note that any referrals received by us after 4pm, will be looked at the next working day.
We will investigate the referral and establish whether the client should submit a full housing application.
