Homelessness Act 2002

Section 12 inserts a new section (213A) into the Housing Act 1996 requiring a local housing authority and local authority social services to co-operate where a child is homeless.

Section 12 states that where a local housing authority has reason to believe that an applicant for housing with whom a person under the age of 18 normally resides, or might reasonably be expected to reside is homeless or about to made homeless, that local housing authority shall make arrangements for that applicant’s case to be referred to social services.

Under subsection 5 of Section 12, where a social services authority is aware of a decision of a local housing authority in relation to a homeless person, they may request the local housing authority to provide that person with assistance, and the local housing authority is bound to assist social services.

See here: Homelessness Act 2002