Homelessness code of guidance for local authorities

Chapter 22: Young people, including those with care experience

Guidance on providing homelessness services to young people, including those with care experience.

22.1 This chapter provides guidance on how housing authorities should exercise their duties under Part 7 of the Housing Act 1996 in relation to children aged 16 and 17, and young people aged 18 to 24 who may be homeless or threatened with homelessness. This chapter also provides guidance on corporate parenting responsibilities and the additional duties that are owed to care leavers who are homeless or threatened with homelessness.

Corporate parenting duties

1. 22.2 Local authorities have duties and powers to assist young people who are leaving and have left local authority care. As a corporate parent to all children in care and care leavers, all parts of a local authority, including a housing authority, must have regard to the need:

   1. (a) to act in the best interests, and promote the physical and mental health and well-being, of those children and young people;

   2. (b) to encourage those children and young people to express their views, wishes and feelings;

   3. (c) to take into account the views, wishes and feelings of those children and young people;

   4. (d) to help those children and young people gain access to, and make the best use of, services provided by the local authority and its relevant partners;

   5. (e) to promote high aspirations, and seek to secure the best outcomes, for those children and young people;

   6. (f) for those children and young people to be safe, and for stability in their home lives, relationships and education or work; and,

   7. (g) to prepare those children and young people for adulthood and independent living.

Personal advisers and pathway plans for care leavers

22.3 There is a duty on children’s services authorities to appoint a Personal Adviser to provide support to care leavers until they reach their 25th birthday (except where the young person no longer wants a Personal Adviser after the age of 21). See section 23D and section 23CZB of the Children Act 1989. The support provided by Personal Advisers should be based on the needs of the young person as set out in their statutory Pathway Plan. This may include support from a housing authority.

22.4 Any joint working arrangements between a children’s services authority and a housing authority for care leavers’ transitions to independent living should include ensuring the delivery of effective preparation for independence with planned, sustainable moves into supported or independent accommodation. Local processes and/or practices should be designed to prevent homelessness and should not require a homelessness application to be made in order to secure settled accommodation for a young person leaving care.

Joint working arrangements

22.5 Housing authorities should work with children’s services, social care, education, health, youth justice, voluntary, community and faith sector organisations, and other relevant services where it is necessary to prevent or relieve homelessness and to support a young person to secure and sustain accommodation. Joint working arrangements should be designed to support timely referrals, information sharing, and clear responsibilities between services, underpinned by locally agreed joint protocols.

16 and 17 year olds:

22.6 The specific duties towards 16 and 17 year olds who are at risk of homelessness or who are homeless, and the legal duties children’s services authorities and housing authorities have towards them are set out in the government’s statutory guidance: Provision of accommodation for 16 and 17 year old young people who may be homeless and/or require accommodation.

22.7 Section 20 of the Children Act 1989 places a duty on children’s services authorities to accommodate a child in need, and in almost all circumstances a homeless 16-17 year old would be a child in need. For further information, see Chapter 8.

22.8 A young person who has left care after the age of 16, and who spent at least 13 weeks in care since their 14th birthday, will be a relevant child who continues to be owed duties under the Children Act. A relevant child who is homeless should be supported to access assistance from Children’s Services.

Care leavers:

22.9 The Secretary of State and the Secretary of State for Education expect all housing authorities, children’s services authorities and other relevant departments within local authorities, to develop and publish joint housing protocols and procedures to support and assist care leavers in their transition to adulthood and independent living, and to ensure collective responsibility from each department in providing corporate parenting support to young people leaving care.

22.10 A joint protocol should cover arrangements for achieving early, planned, and supportive transitions to suitable accommodation and independent living; identifying homelessness risk early and acting to prevent it; provide a quick, safe, joined up multi-agency response for care leavers who do become homeless; and have in place joint arrangements for robust scrutiny prior to any decision that may result in the loss of accommodation. Protocols should ensure that housing authorities are involved at an early stage where a care placement, supported accommodation placement or other accommodation arrangement is due to end. Protocols should also set out arrangements for responding where a care leaver’s status, entitlements or support arrangements change whilst they are accommodated, ensuring continued joint planning to prevent gaps in accommodation or support.

22.11 Under section 2 of the Children and Social Work Act 2017, a local authority must consult on and publish a local offer for its care experienced young people. From 30 September 2026, this must set out how the local authority supports care experienced young people to find and keep suitable accommodation, and what help is available to prevent homelessness. For further information see the Local offer guidance.

22.12 For further guidance on joint working arrangements and the local offer, see Joint housing protocols for care leavers: good practice advice.

Providing advice

22.13 Section 179 of the Housing Act 1996 sets out the duty on local housing authorities to provide access to free housing and homelessness advice, designed to meet the needs of local residents. When designing advice services that are appropriate and accessible, housing authorities should consider the ways in which young people access advice and support relevant to their needs. For further guidance on the provision of advice and information on homelessness see Chapter 3.

Care leavers:

1. 22.14 Advisory services provided by housing authorities’ under section 179 must be designed to meet the needs of care leavers in their district (section 179(2)(b)). Housing authorities should work with children’s services authorities and consult with care leavers themselves to ensure the advice and information is:

   1. (a) designed and delivered in an appropriate format for the age of the client group;

   2. (b) available through communication channels which care leavers are most likely to access;

   3. (c) understood by children’s services authority staff.

22.15 It is recommended that housing options advice be made available to young people preparing to leave care to help them to make informed choices and avoid becoming homeless. Housing authorities should work in conjunction with children’s services to ensure young people are provided with information, as required by the local offer duty (Local offer guidance), which should be clear on the support available to them to secure safe, stable and suitable accommodation and what help is available to them to prevent homelessness or respond to housing crises early. Housing authorities may wish to provide training and information to social workers, Personal Advisers and others who have responsibility to support looked after young people, to ensure that the most up to date and accurate information on housing options is available to them.

Applications, assessments and personalised housing plans

1. 22.16 When managing requests for housing and homelessness support from young people, housing authorities should:

   1. (a) have regard to the fact that age, limited life experience, family and relationship breakdown, family rejection or relationship conflict related to their sexual orientation or gender identity, domestic abuse, childhood trauma,  or experience in care may affect their ability to take action to help prevent or relieve their homelessness, and to manage accommodation;

   2. (b) ensure young people are informed of, and able to access, independent advocacy where available. Interpretation services should be used where needed; and

   3. (c) wherever possible, have a named homelessness officer who maintains contact with the young person, explains decisions and required actions clearly, and, where appropriate and with their consent, involves trusted adults and relevant support services, including voluntary, community and faith organisations that support them.

22.17 Local authorities should recognise that young people may not always have immediate access to formal identification or written evidence, particularly where they have left accommodation in crisis and unable to obtain documents or supporting information held by parents or family members. This may include circumstances where a young person has left home as a result of domestic abuse, family breakdown, or family rejection. Housing authorities should take a reasonable and proportionate approach when requesting information to support an application, drawing on information from relevant support services or trusted adults where appropriate, and young people should be given reasonable time and support to provide information.

22.18 When carrying out an assessment and developing a personalised housing plan for a young person,  housing authorities should take account of their age, maturity, and any safeguarding risks, including experience of abuse or trauma. Housing authorities should consider whether a young person’s homelessness, presented as arising from family breakdown or exclusion, may involve domestic abuse, which will have implications for their vulnerability, safety, support needs and housing options. Depending on the circumstances, it may not be appropriate for the young person to remain in their current home, pursue family reconciliation or remain in the local area. For further guidance on personalised housing plans, see Chapter 11.

Care leavers:

22.19 When a young person aged between 18 and 24 approaches directly or is referred to a housing authority, if it is established that they are a care leaver or the young person says they are a care leaver, then the children’s services authority which has responsibility for them should be informed as soon as possible, with consent from the young person, to enable children’s services to conduct a review of their Pathway Plan.

22.20 Where there is a duty to assess a care leaver’s housing and other support needs and develop a personalised housing plan, arrangements should be in place to enable the Personal Adviser, other practitioners, trusted adults, and relevant voluntary, community and faith sector organisations involved in supporting the young person to be involved in the assessment process with the young person’s consent. Where there is no agreed local working arrangement, or where the young person has been looked after by a children’s services authority which is not part of local joint protocol arrangements, the housing authority must continue without delay with the duties owed to the young person under Part 7 of the 1996 Act.

22.21 Where a care leaver has a personalised housing plan this should be informed, by their Pathway Plan (section 23C(3)(b) of the Children’s Act 1989). The Secretary of State considers it appropriate for housing authorities to involve a young person’s Personal Adviser in assessing their needs and circumstances and developing a personalised housing plan that is appropriate to them. The young person’s consent must be obtained, and it would be advisable to seek their consent for the Personal Adviser to continue to be informed and involved in efforts to prevent or relieve homelessness. The Personal Adviser may also be requested to take actions to deliver the personalised housing plan.

22.22 Local authorities should consider how they manage situations where a care leaver is at risk of eviction from local authority owned or managed accommodation. This may include an internal review and escalation prior to any decision that may result in the loss of that accommodation, to ensure that all reasonable steps have been taken to sustain the tenancy, appropriate support has been offered and that the potential impact on the young person’s welfare and future housing stability has been properly considered. In developing these arrangements, local housing authorities and children’s services should work together, having regard to their corporate parenting duties. For further guidance, see Joint housing protocols for care leavers: good practice advice.

22.23 Where a care leaver has been accommodated under a homelessness duty, housing authorities may need to take action through enforcement powers and legal remedies where serious antisocial behaviour, criminality or risks to others arise. Individual cases should be managed through coordinated multi-agency risk planning, involving housing, children’s services and wider partners as appropriate, with a focus on earlier intervention, safeguarding, trauma-informed support, tenancy sustainment and access to appropriate accommodation and support where needed.

22.24 There are specific legal requirements in relation to local connection for care leavers (section 199(8) to (11)). For further guidance on local connection see Chapter 10.

22.25 Subject to arrangements for consent, where a housing authority is concerned that a care leaver may not be co-operating with the required steps set out in the personalised housing plan this should be shared as soon as possible with the Personal Adviser to enable joint early action to remind the young person of the actions to be taken and the consequences of not doing so. For further guidance on deliberate and unreasonable refusal to co-operate see Chapter 14. Joint working to understand mitigating factors and resolve issues should continue throughout any action related to deliberate and unreasonable refusal to cooperate.

Duty to refer

1. 22.26 There is a duty on specified public bodies to refer to a housing authority (with consent) any household which is threatened with homelessness or is homeless within 56 days to a housing authority with the service user’s consent (section 213B). The following services are among those subject to the duty to refer:

   1. (a) social service authorities; and,

   2. (b) custodial institutions, youth offending teams and probation services.

22.27 For further guidance on duty to refer see Chapter 4. Specific referral arrangements should be made for care leavers and set out in the joint protocol or procedures.

Assessing priority need

22.28 Section 193 of the 1996 Act requires housing authorities to secure accommodation for applicants who have a priority need, and whose homelessness has not been prevented or relieved.

1. 22.29 Categories and definitions of people who have priority need are set out in Chapter 8, and include:

   1. (a) 16 and 17 year old homeless applicants, except those who are a relevant child or a child in need who is owed a duty under section 20 of the Children Act 1989;

   2. (b) young people under 21 who were looked after between the ages of 16 and 18; and

   3. (c) people aged 21 or more who are vulnerable as a result of having been looked after, accommodated or fostered.

22.30 Categories b and c above exclude ‘relevant students’, who are owed particular accommodation and support duties under the Children (Leaving Care) Act. It should be noted that a young person who was looked after when aged 16 or 17 will be in priority need when they are 18, 19 or 20 years old, whether or not they qualify for care leaving services from a children’s services authority.

1. 22.31 When assessing whether a person aged 21 or over is vulnerable as a result of having been looked after, accommodated or fostered. Factors that a housing authority may wish to consider include:

   1. (a) the length of time that the applicant was looked after, accommodated or fostered;

   2. (b) the reasons why they were looked after, accommodated or fostered;

   3. (c) the length of time since the applicant left care, and whether they have been able to obtain and maintain accommodation during any of that period;

   4. (d) whether the applicant has any existing support networks, particularly including family, friends or a mentor.

22.32 Housing authorities should take particular care in assessing whether a care leaver aged 21 or over is vulnerable, and should take into account whether, if homeless, they would be at particular risk of exploitation, abuse or involvement in offending behaviour as a result of having been looked after, accommodated or fostered.

22.33 There are other circumstances in which a young person may have priority need, including where they are significantly more vulnerable than an ordinary person would be if homeless. Assessments of vulnerability should draw upon the expertise of relevant practitioners, providers of care and support, and, where appropriate, voluntary, community and faith sector organisations supporting the young person.

Assessing intentional homelessness

Exempt care leavers:

22.34 From 30 September 2026, the 1996 Act is amended to exempt certain care leavers from being considered intentionally homeless. Under section 191(1ZA) of the 1996 Act, an intentional homelessness decision cannot be made where the applicant is a care leaver classed under the Children Act 1989 as a relevant child (section 23A(2)) or is a former relevant child (section 23C(1)) who is aged under 25. See section 9.9-9.10 for further guidance on how the exemption operates.

22.35 The exemption from the provisions on intentional homelessness apply to decisions to end the prevention, relief or main duty, as well as to assess whether the main section 193 duty is owed. See Chapter 9, Chapter 14 and Chapter 15.

22.36 The exemption of certain care leavers from intentional homelessness decisions strengthens the need for cooperation between housing and children’s services, to ensure care leavers are properly advised and supported to sustain accommodation, and to avoid repeat loss of temporary and settled housing placements.

1. 22.37 When reaching decisions on the future accommodation arrangements for a young person, authorities should take particular care to ensure:

   1. (a) consideration of the reasons for the previous loss of accommodation, and steps that have been taken to prevent reoccurrence.

   2. (b) an understanding of how support needs will be met, including through the adoption of bespoke arrangements where required. Where possible, this should be set out in a jointly agreed plan between housing and children’s services, and informed by advice from relevant practitioners.

   3. (c) planned accommodation meets suitability requirements. For further guidance see Chapters 15 to 17.

   4. (d) planned joint review points, including in the initial stages of the tenancy to ensure arrangements are suitable and sustainable for the care leaver.

Non-exempt care leavers and other young people:

22.38 Young people with no care experience, or who are care leavers not covered by the exemption within section 191(1ZA), may be at risk of being found intentionally homeless. It is important that assessments take into account all the relevant facts, including the young person’s age, history (including any periods in care or custody), emotional and mental wellbeing, maturity, and general ability to understand the impact and consequences of their actions.

22.39 When considering whether the acts or omissions that lead to a young person losing accommodation were deliberate; housing authorities should take into account their maturity, experience of managing accommodation, and the quality and extent of support that has been provided to sustain the accommodation.

22.40 The personalised housing plan should be reviewed and the housing authority and Personal Adviser, or other trusted and connected persons and other relevant officers, should work together with the young person to try and resolve the issues as a priority, to avoid the impact of an intentional homelessness decision wherever possible.

22.41 Children’s services authorities may have a duty to ‘former relevant’ care leavers in terms of accommodation if there are no other options available and the welfare of the care leaver requires it (section 23C (4c) of the Children Act 1989).

Suitable accommodation for young people

1. 22.42 When securing accommodation for a young person, housing authorities should ensure that it meets the suitability requirements set out in chapter 17, and take into account whether:

   1. (a) the accommodation is appropriate to the young person’s age, maturity and support needs;

   2. (b) the location will enable the young person to access or maintain education, employment or training, where appropriate;

   3. (c) there are any risks to the young person’s safety and wellbeing from other residents in the accommodation. For example, a young person who has experienced abuse or discrimination related to their sexual orientation or gender identity, or a young person at risk from others due to perceived gang association, criminal exploitation or violence.

22.43 Bed and breakfast accommodation is never suitable for 16 or 17 year old children. For young people aged 18 and over, bed and breakfast accommodation may be unsuitable, particularly where they are required to share facilities with older vulnerable adults, which could expose them to safeguarding risks, including exploitation, abuse or harassment.

22.44 Housing authorities should not assume that a young person will be ready to manage a tenancy at a particular age and should consider whether supported accommodation or provision of floating support, is needed to help them sustain accommodation and prepare for independent living.

Suitable accommodation for care leavers:

22.45 Housing authorities and children’s services authorities should adopt a shared strategic approach to the provision of suitable accommodation for care leavers.

22.46 In considering suitability, all authorities should bear in mind that care leavers who are homeless will be particularly vulnerable and in need of support. They may lack skills in managing their affairs and require help with managing their own accommodation and operating a household budget. Many care leavers lack the advice and support that is normally available to  young people from family, friends and a mentor.

22.47 There should be no blanket presumption that at 18 a young person who has left care will be ready for their own tenancy; this should be a matter of individual assessment. Options will be based on their individual preferences, needs, circumstances and the local provision available, should align with the young person’s pathway plan as agreed with their personal adviser, and might include, for example, supported lodgings, supported accommodation or independent accommodation with visiting support. For further guidance, see: Securing sufficient accommodation for looked-after children.

22.48 Bed and breakfast accommodation, including hotels and nightly let accommodation with shared facilities, is not considered suitable for care leavers aged under 25 and should only be used in exceptional circumstances and for short periods. When the use of bed and breakfast accommodation cannot be avoided, there should be close management and oversight throughout the placement.

22.49 The specific needs and circumstances of care leavers should be taken into account in determining suitability of accommodation in relation to its location. For example, in the absence of strong family support networks they may wish to live as near as possible to another significant adult such as a friend or ex-foster carer; or need to avoid certain locations due to childhood experiences or associations.

22.50 Housing authorities should involve Personal Advisers in decisions about the suitability of accommodation and inform them prior to making an offer of accommodation, with the young person’s consent. For further guidance on suitability of accommodation see Chapter 17 and Children Act 1989: transition to adulthood for care leavers statutory guidance.