Duty to refer

If you work for a public authority and suspect someone is homeless, or at risk of homelessness, you can refer them to us.

Duty to refer helps people at risk of becoming homeless. As part of the Homelessness Reduction Act (April 2018), certain organisations must let us know if they suspect someone is homeless, or is at risk of being homeless within 56 days. 

Before somebody is referred to us, they must give their consent, and be happy to have their contact details shared with us. They can then choose any housing authority in England to be referred to.

We can take referrals from any agency including:

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

Read the guide to the duty to refer on the Government website.

We will work with partner agencies at the earliest opportunity to manage the case.

Making a referral

How to make a referral is different depending on where you are in the county.

Making a referral in the Craven area

You can make a referral online through the referral portal here.

Or you can contact us.

Provide as much information to us as possible as this helps us to identify what help we can give to the person you have referred. As a minimum we need the service user’s name, contact details and the reason for the referral.



Once we receive the referral, we will make contact with the person referred to get more information and offer them an appointment if they are homeless or threatened with homelessness. We may also contact the referring agency.

Making a referral in the Hambleton area

Agencies can make referrals in five easy steps:

  1. Sign up to ALERT on the Housing Jigsaw website.
  2. Enter the details of your agency.
  3. Provide details of the household being referred. 
  4. Complete the consent to share declaration. 
  5. Submit the completed form.

Once submitted, the agency will receive confirmation that the referral has been sent, along with a unique referral code. If appropriate, a copy of the referral can also be sent to the customer.

Once a referral has been made, a user account is automatically created. This not only increases efficiency for future referrals but also enables the user to track their referral online and receive regular updates.

The system is available for free, easy to access and use and provides a secure and efficient way to manage referrals.

Making a referral in the Harrogate area

Agencies can make referrals in five easy steps:

  1. Sign up to ALERT on the Housing Jigsaw website.
  2. Enter the details of your agency.
  3. Provide details of the household being referred. 
  4. Complete the consent to share declaration. 
  5. Submit the completed form.

Once submitted, the agency will receive confirmation that the referral has been sent, along with a unique referral code. If appropriate, a copy of the referral can also be sent to the customer.



Once a referral has been made, a user account is automatically created. This not only increases efficiency for future referrals but also enables the user to track their referral online and receive regular updates.



The system is available for free, easy to access and use and provides a secure and efficient way to manage referrals.

 Detailed instructions are available that explain how to sign up (pdf / 425 KB). 

You can also make a referral by completing the referral form. Please contact us for a form.

 You can also read our frequently asked questions here (pdf / 277 KB).

Making a referral in the Richmondshire area

Agencies can make referrals in five easy steps:

  1. Sign up to ALERT on the Housing Jigsaw website.
  2. Enter the details of your agency.
  3. Provide details of the household being referred. 
  4. Complete the consent to share declaration. 
  5. Submit the completed form.

Once submitted, the agency will receive confirmation that the referral has been sent, along with a unique referral code. If appropriate, a copy of the referral can also be sent to the customer.

Once a referral has been made, a user account is automatically created. This not only increases efficiency for future referrals but also enables the user to track their referral online and receive regular updates.

The system is available for free, easy to access and use and provides a secure and efficient way to manage referrals.

Or you can  make a referral by completing this form (pdf / 120 KB).

Making a referral in the Ryedale area

Agencies can make referrals in five easy steps:

  1. Sign up to ALERT on the Housing Jigsaw website.
  2. Enter the details of your agency.
  3. Provide details of the household being referred. 
  4. Complete the consent to share declaration. 
  5. Submit the completed form.

Once submitted, the agency will receive confirmation that the referral has been sent, along with a unique referral code. If appropriate, a copy of the referral can also be sent to the customer.

Once a referral has been made, a user account is automatically created. This not only increases efficiency for future referrals but also enables the user to track their referral online and receive regular updates.

The system is available for free, easy to access and use and provides a secure and efficient way to manage referrals.

Alternatively, you can make a referral direct to us using our online form.

Making a referral in the Scarborough area

Agencies can make referrals in five easy steps:

  1. Sign up to ALERT on the Housing Jigsaw website.
  2. Enter the details of your agency.
  3. Provide details of the household being referred. 
  4. Complete the consent to share declaration. 
  5. Submit the completed form.

Once submitted, the agency will receive confirmation that the referral has been sent, along with a unique referral code. If appropriate, a copy of the referral can also be sent to the customer.

Once a referral has been made, a user account is automatically created. This not only increases efficiency for future referrals but also enables the user to track their referral online and receive regular updates.

The system is available for free, easy to access and use and provides a secure and efficient way to manage referrals.

Making a referral in the Selby area

You can make a referral using our referral form. Please contact us for a form.

Identifying when a referral is needed

Staff in public authorities will usually know if someone is sleeping rough or is sofa surfing.

Identifying that a family, couple or individual is threatened with homelessness is less straightforward.

You should ask about the following aspects of their housing circumstances: 

  • problems with debt, particularly rent or mortgage arrears
  • problems with a landlord, for example, being threatened with eviction or served notice to leave
  • being a victim of domestic abuse or other forms of violence, threats or intimidation
  • approaching discharge from hospital, the armed forces or being released from custody with no accommodation available to them

Which local housing authority to refer to

Service users can choose which local housing authority they are referred to. However, a local authority owes more duties towards homeless applicants who have a local connection with their area.

If a person asks to be referred to a council where they do not have a local connection, it is very likely that they will be referred onto a local authority where they do have a local connection.  

In general, a person is likely to have a local connection to an area if they live or have lived there, work there or have a close family connection. However, a service user should not be referred to an area where they would be at risk of violence.

Care leavers aged 18 to 21 will have a local connection with the local authority that looked after them and to any area where they have been placed in accommodation for at least two years, including a period before their 16th birthday.

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