The Homelessness Reduction Act 2017 introduced a new Duty to Refer requiring specified public authorities in England to notify Local Housing Authorities of service users they think may be homeless or threatened with homelessness in 56 days.

If you are a professional and someone you are working with is homeless or is at risk of losing their home within 56 days, you can refer them to our housing options service.

The agencies that will have this mandatory duty are:

• prisons
• youth offender institutions
• secure training centres
• secure colleges
• youth offending teams
• probation services, including community rehabilitation companies
• Jobcentre Plus
• social service authorities
• emergency departments
• urgent treatment centres
• hospitals in their function of providing inpatient care.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/homelessness-duty-to-refer 

Making a Referral

Before making a referral please ensure the following:

• You have consent to make a referral from the individual that you are working with and to share their contact details with Tamworth Borough Council (we can only accept a referral if consent has been given).
• You have allowed the individual to identify the local housing authority in England which they would like the notification to be made to.

Once you have consent and you have confirmed that the applicant wishes to be referred to Tamworth Borough Council please email: dutytorefer@tamworth.gov.uk in order to obtain log in details to proceed with the referral.

What happens next?

• Once you have made a referral you will receive an email with a reference number.
• If you are referring from Prison then it is important you provide a means by which we are able to contact the individual you are referring.

Please note: An application will only be triggered once the Council has made contact with the applicant and is satisfied that they are homeless or threatened with homelessness and the individual indicates that they would like assistance.