Duty to refer

Homeless Reduction Act

Homeless Reduction Act (HRA) was implemented by local authorities (LHA) in England in April 2018.  The HRA includes new duties for the assessment, prevention and relief of homelessness. The Act included “Duty to Refer”

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Duty to Refer

The duty to refer places a statutory responsibility on public authorities in England to notify a local housing authority(LHA) of applicants they think may be homeless or at risk of becoming homeless within 56 days

Public Authorities with a Statutory Duty to Refer

The public authorities specified in the Homelessness Regulations 2018 include

  • Prisons
  • Youth offenders institutions
  • Secure training centres
  • Secure colleges
  • Youth offending teams
  • Probation services(including rehabilitation companies)
  • Jobcentre plus
  • Social services
  • Emergency departments
  • Urgent treatment centres
  • Hospitals in their function

What constitutes a referral?

The minimum information referrals to LA must include

  • The applicants name
  • Applicants contact details
  • The agreed reason for referral(e.g  applicant is homeless or at risk of homelessness)
  • Applicants consent to refer

Referral Process

Please complete the Duty to Refer form below if the customer meets the criteria set out in the diagram below.


Duty to refer flowchart

Duty to Refer Form

Under the Homeless Reduction Act 2017 public authorities will have a statutory duty to refer persons they believe to be homeless or threatened with homelessness to the Local Housing Authority (LHA) of the person’s choice..

This new statutory duty comes into effect in October 2018, however agencies are able to make a referral now if they wish to do so.

This form should be used to make a referral to Knowsley Borough Council and will constitute a referral under Duty to Refer, Homeless Reduction Act 2017 and can be used by public authorities or agencies undertaking a voluntary duty to refer.

Before making a referral, the referrer must:

  • Have consent to the referral from the person(s) being referred
  • Allow the individual to identify the housing authority in England which they would like to be referred
  • Have consent that the service user’s contact details can be given so the housing authority can contact them regarding the referral
  • Inform the person that the referral does not replace a homelessness application. However, following a referral, the housing authority will contact the person to begin enquiries.

Referrer Details

Person's Details