A referral should be made to children's social care in the local authority area where the child is living. In two-tier areas, this will be the county council.
Information about the family's immigration status and whether they have, or may have, no recourse to public funds (NRPF) should be included in the referral.
The local authority's website should explain how referrals can be made and provide contact details for children's social care.
Some local authorities have a specialist NRPF team. This may sit within children's social care or another service, such as housing. Where a specialist team exists, referrals are still usually made through children's social care. Any specific arrangements for referring families with NRPF should be available on the local authority's website.
Contact details for each local council can be found on GOV.UK.
Families with NRPF are generally not eligible for homelessness assistance under the Housing Act 1996.
If a family approaches a housing authority for help, housing should identify the appropriate service to support the family. This may include referring to children's social care or the Home Office. See our webpage on housing and ineligible persons for further information.
Page updated: 03 July 2026
