What if the council says another council must help me?

What if the council says another council must help me?

Sometimes, a council might agree that you are homeless and should be found somewhere to live, but it might say that another council should take responsibility for this. But the first council can only say this if you have no 'local connection' in its area, and you do have a local connection with another council area.

What is a 'local connection'?

A local connection usually means that you (or someone in your household) have:

• lived in the area for at least six months in the last year, or three years in the last five years, or
• a job in the area, or
• a close relative who has lived in the area for some time and you want or need to live near them.
  

You may also have a local connection for a special reason, for example if you have a serious health condition and are receiving specialist treatment that could not be given elsewhere.
If you have recently been granted refugee status and were housed by the National Asylum Support Service (NASS) while your asylum application was being considered, then you have a local connection with the council area where your last NASS home was.

Can the council force me to go to another council?

The council you apply to for somewhere to live can send you to another council only if it follows a certain procedure, and if the other council has agreed to help you.

If you do not want to go to another council, you should get advice.

The council cannot send you back to a place you have been living where you would be at risk of violence.