Duty to refer

The public authorities with a duty to refer are:

• prisons and youth offender institutions
• secure training centres and colleges
• youth offending teams and probation services
• Jobcentre Plus
• accident and emergency services provided in a hospital
• urgent treatment centres (such as walk-in centres)
• in-patient hospitals
• social service authorities

The Secretary of State for Defence is also subject to the duty to refer for members of the regular forces.

This includes:

• Royal Navy
• Royal Marines
• the regular army
• Royal Air Force
   

Information required

You must have the person's consent to send us their personal information. 

They can choose which authority they would like to be referred to.

The information that you will need to send us is their:

• name
• date of birth
• address (if they have one)
• method of contact - a telephone number and their email address is preferred (however an address is acceptable particularly for those who are in prison)
• agreed reason for the referral
   

How to make a referral

Online

You can refer someone to us through the Uttlesford Housing Assistance Referral Portal.

By email

You can also fill in the partner referral form (Word doc) [24KB] .

Send the completed form to us by email at: dutytorefer@uttlesford.gov.uk

Via Uttlesford Frontline

We also accept referrals via Uttlesford Frontline.

⚠ If you believe your client has nowhere to sleep tonight you should make a referral and also suggest that they contact our Housing Options team immediately.
 

After you have referred

We'll review all referrals and contact the client within 5 working days.

If we are satisfied that they are eligible for help and either homeless or threatened with it within 56 days, we'll create a homeless application for them. Otherwise, they will be provided with some housing advice.
 

Guidance

There is a guide to the duty to refer available on GOV.UK.

Find more information in our Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy 2020-2025 (PDF) [580KB] .