The 'duty to refer' is the statutory responsibility of public authorities to notify us as the local housing authority of anyone they believe to be homeless or at risk of becoming homeless within 56 days.
Make a referral
As a public authority, you must report the following information to us about the person you're referring:
- the person's name and contact details
- the agreed reason for referral, for example; that the person is homeless or at risk of homelessness
- the person's consent to refer them.
You can complete a duty to refer report online, if:
- the person is currently homeless
- the person is being threatened with homelessness within 56 days.
We aim to action online referrals the same day.
If you require emergency assistance outside of normal working hours please call 0161 253 6606.
If the person is not currently homeless or will not be homeless within 56 days, you can provide them with options to contact us:
- visiting Housing Connect and Direct between 10am and 1pm on weekdays
- emailing hat@bury.gov.uk
- calling 0161 253 5537.
Statutory duty to refer
The public authorities who must inform us in relation to the Homelessness Regulations 2018, include:
- 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.
Other agencies who are voluntarily registered with the Duty to Refer:
- local housing providers
- Greater Manchester Police.
Some public authorities are required to provide accommodation for certain individuals as part of their own legal duties. For example, children's social services have a duty to accommodate a 16 or 17 year old under the Children Act 1989.