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  1. 1. Housing assistance and public funds
  2. 2. Eligibility for homelessness assistance
  3. 3. Key housing duties
  4. 4. Ineligible persons
  5. 5. Local Connection
  6. 6. Mixed households in homelessness applications
  7. 7. Social housing allocation
  8. 8. Housing association tenancies
  9. 9. Duty to refer
  10. 10. Right to rent checks
  11. 11. Council tax
  12. 12. Disabled Facilities Grant

Local Connection

To qualify for homelessness assistance or to join a social housing register, a person usually needs to be resident in the local authority area.

A person is normally considered resident if they:

  • have lived in the area for at least two years, or
  • have a local connection to the area

What counts as a local connection

Local authorities can set their own local connection rules within the framework of the Housing Act 1996.

A local connection may be established where a person:

  • is living in or working in the area
  • has close family members living in the area
  • has received leaving care support from the local authority
  • has been living in section 95 asylum support accommodation provided by the Home Office
  • is a child who has been looked after by the local authority and has gained a local connection through their placement

Local connection rules do not apply to care leavers. Care leavers can seek help from any local authority, regardless of where they live.

When a person has no local connection

If a person presents as homeless and is assessed as having no local connection to the area, the local authority may refer them to another housing authority where they do have a local connection.

A referral should only be made where:

  • the person has a local connection to the other area, and
  • they would not be at risk of domestic abuse there

Out‑of‑area accommodation offers

A local authority may still meet its housing duty by offering accommodation outside the local area, even where the person has a local connection.
An out‑of‑area offer may be made where, for example:

  • there is no suitable accommodation available locally, and
  • the authority is satisfied the move would not cause significant disruption to the person or any household member’s work, education, medical care or support arrangements

The length of time a person has been in the UK may also affect when an out‑of‑area offer can be made.

Further information on suitability of accommodation offers is available in chapter 17 of the Homelessness Code of Guidance.

Page updated: 05 May 2026

 
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