This content applies to England only.

Housing laws vary between England and Scotland. Get advice relating to Scotland

This section explains social services' responsibilities to homeless people who have physical or mental health problems and/or are vulnerable because of old age.

Can the housing department refer me?

If you apply as homeless and are in one of these situations, the council may contact social services if it believes that you are entitled to help from social services, even if it has a duty to help you as well.

Every council should have set procedures for referring people between the housing department and social services. This should avoid people being passed between housing and social services without either department taking responsibility. However, it does sometimes happen that people are passed between departments. If this happens to you, get advice immediately.

The council housing department is likely to get social services involved if

• it decides it has no further duty to help you because of your homelessness application (for example, if it has decided that you are intentionally homeless) but thinks you may get help from social services
• the housing department thinks that social services are able to provide more appropriate help (for example, if you would have difficulty living independently). In this case, if social services will not help, the council housing department still has to help you.

The type of help that social services may offer can vary widely but can be limited. It will depend on your particular circumstances and needs.

I am ill, disabled or elderly

If you are ill, disabled or elderly and you are homeless, social services may have to provide you with accommodation. This will depend on an assessment of your needs and whether there are any other ways you could get accommodation. If the housing department can't help and you are still homeless, social services may have to help you find accommodation.

The type of help social services provides can vary because it is not defined in law. For example, they might:

• provide accommodation for you themselves
• help you to raise money for a deposit on a private rented place.

Once a need has been identified, social services have to provide services that they consider reasonable to meet that need, taking into account the resources available to them.

I have physical or mental health problems

If you have physical or mental health needs and the council housing department can't help you, it is possible that social services may have to help you. This depends on the extent of your needs and your situation as a whole. Get advice if the council has decided it can't help you and you have health needs that are being affected by homelessness.

What if social services can't help?

If the council has passed you on to social services, but social services cannot help you in the way that you need, get advice. You may be able to challenge social services by making a complaint, or, in extreme cases, taking legal action. The law about the help that social services has to provide can be very complicated, so getting advice is essential if you are in this situation. You can use our advice services directory to find agencies in your area.

Send us feedback

Get advice by email