Duty to Refer Referral Pathway for Statutory and Non-Statutory Public Authorities
If you are a statutory or non-statutory public authority and have a customer who is threatened with homelessness, you can complete a Duty to Refer form to make a referral to our Homeless Intervention team. You can also make a referral via email. If you are currently homeless or will become homeless in the next 7 days, please phone 0300 300 4370.
The following are public authorities with a Duty to Refer:
- 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
All other public authorities are encouraged to refer.
You must provide details of the household being referred, complete a consent declaration form with the customer, and submit the referral.
What to expect
Once you have completed your referral, we'll get back to you within 3 to 5 working days to confirm that we have received your referral and contacted the person you have referred.
If the person you have referred is homeless today, or likely to lose their home in the next 7 days, please complete the form and once you’ve done this, call us on 0300 300 4370 or email homeless.intervention@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk.
Read the government's guidance for further information on the duty to refer. This guidance provides an overview of the duty to refer, which will help public authorities understand how to administer the duty.