Duty to refer

As of 1 October 2018, the Homelessness Reduction Act introduced a requirement on specified public authorities in England to notify councils of people they think may be homeless or threatened with becoming homeless.

Public authorities that have a duty to refer

The authorities that have a duty to refer are:

• prisons (public and private)
• youth offender institutions
• secure training centres
• secure colleges
• youth offending teams
• probation services, including community rehabilitation companies and national probation service
• Jobcentre Plus
• accident and emergency services provided in a hospital
• urgent treatment centres including services locally designated as such
• all other providers of community and primary urgent care, including services locally designated as urgent care centres, minor injury units, minor injury services and walk in centres
• hospitals in their capacity of providing in-patient treatment (inpatient care means persons who are receiving medical or other treatment as inpatients (admitted patients) in a hospital)
• social service authorities

Refer someone to us

If you are part of an organisation supporting an individual at risk of homelessness, whether it is specified above or not, you can refer a case to us.

Download the Duty to Refer referral form, complete it and email it to dutytorefer@kingston.gov.uk.

You must have your client's consent as we may not be able to assist otherwise and that as much notice as possible is given. If we receive a completed referral we will contact the individual and ask them to contact us using the housing advice form.