Who has a local connection

You can ask any council for help if you're homeless or at risk of losing your home.

The council usually looks at whether you have a local connection to the area.

What counts as a local connection

The following situations give you a local connection. If you have more than one local connection, you should approach the council where you'd like to live.

Living in an area

You have a local connection if you've lived in a council area for at least:

• 6 out of the last 12 months

• 3 out of the last 5 years

Staying in emergency housing or a refuge counts.

Time spent in prison or hospital does not count.

Working in an area

You have a local connection if you're working in a council area.

This could include being:

• self employed

• in part time or unpaid work

Close family in the area

You have a local connection if any of these family members have lived in a council area for at least 5 years:

• parents

• adult children

• brothers and sisters

The council might accept a local connection based on other family members. For example, if you were brought up by another relative and are in close contact.

Care leavers

You have a local connection if you're under 21 and were previously in care in the area for at least 2 years even if you were placed there by another council.

You also have a local connection if you're under 25 and you get advice and support from the council's social services team under a pathway plan.

If your pathway plan is provided by a county council, you have a local connection to every local housing department in the county council area.

Refugee status or humanitarian protection

You have a local connection to the last council area you were housed in by the Home Office under asylum support. It does not matter how long you lived there for.

You could also have a local connection to an area if you:

• have close family members living there

• work there

• have lived there for 6 out of the last 12 months or 3 out of the last 5 years

Special reasons

The council could decide you have a local connection for a special reason such as:

• a need to live in the area to receive specialist health care

• very important social connections with the area

When you can be referred to a different council

The council can only refer you to a different area if you:

• are already homeless

• do not have a local connection in the area where you apply

• have a local connection to the council area you are being referred to

The council you approach can make a referral at an early or later stage.

They must give you a letter explaining that a referral has been made. The other council then decides whether to accept the referral.

Referral at the early stage

If the council you approach decides you're legally homeless and meet immigration conditions they can refer you to another council in England.

If the referral is accepted, the other council must:

• assess your situation and provide a personal housing plan

• decide if you qualify for emergency or longer term housing

If the referral is refused by the other council, the first council must carry out a homeless assessment and decide if you qualify for emergency or longer term housing.

Referral at the later stage 

If the council decides they must find long term housing for you, they can refer you to another council in England, Scotland or Wales.

You must get suitable housing from:

• the other council if they accept the referral

• the council that referred you if the referral is refused

You usually have to stay in temporary housing until long term housing is available.

If you disagree with a local connection referral

You can challenge a referral if, for example, you:

• have a local connection in the area you applied

• would be at risk of domestic abuse or violence in the area you've been referred to

You can ask for a review within 21 days of getting the council's decision letter. You could get free legal help.