# Public services to work together on homelessness

> “A new Duty to Collaborate will be incorporated into the Bill that will require public services to work together to identify people at risk of homelessness and jointly consider what action they could take, within their existing responsibilities, to help prevent it. Councils will also be given a new power to refer homeless households to private registered providers of social housing.”
>
> — Matthew Pennycook, Minister of State for Housing and Planning, Labour Party; Written ministerial statement, 12 October 2026

- **Status:** Promised
- **Status ladder:** Promised → In plan → Legislated → Funded → Delivering → Delivered
- **Policy area:** [Housing & environment](https://ledgergov.uk/promises/area/housing-and-environment)
- **Speaker:** [Matthew Pennycook](https://ledgergov.uk/actor/matthew-pennycook), Minister of State for Housing and Planning
- **Party:** [Labour Party](https://ledgergov.uk/actor/labour)
- **Made on:** 12 October 2026
- **Where:** Written ministerial statement
- **Cost a year:** No costing published
- **Who it affects:** People at risk of homelessness in England, councils and other public services
- **When:** When the Social Housing Bill becomes law (no date given)
- **Paid for by:** Not stated when it was announced
- **Quote source:** https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statements/detail/2026-10-12/HCWS363 (checked word for word on 13 October 2026; Open Parliament Licence v3.0)
- **Last updated:** 13 October 2026
- **Card:** https://ledgergov.uk/promise/uk-homelessness-duty-to-collaborate-2026

## Where it stands

The government confirmed on 28 September 2026 that it would amend the Social Housing Bill to add the duty. It would require public services to identify people at risk of homelessness and consider together what they could do to prevent it, within their existing responsibilities. Councils would also get a power to refer homeless households to housing associations and other private registered providers of social housing. The card moves to legislated when the Bill becomes law with the duty.

## Timeline

- 12 October 2026, Promised: The Housing Minister says a Duty to Collaborate on homelessness prevention will be added to the Social Housing Bill

## About the cost

No cost has been published.

## Sources

- [Written ministerial statement HCWS363, 12 Oct 2026: Improving housing availability and affordability](https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statements/detail/2026-10-12/HCWS363)

## Checks

- Checked automatically by AI Journalist, not yet verified by an editor.
- Checked by AI Journalist (automated) on 13 October 2026.

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