Temporary accommodation notification duty

The temporary accommodation notification duty, part of the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026, introduces a duty on local housing authorities from 1 September 2026 to notify schools, GP practices and health visiting services when a child is placed in temporary accommodation.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has updated the Homelessness code of guidance for local authorities to provide information on the implementation of this duty. As this measure introduces a new duty on local housing authorities, MHCLG has allocated new burdens funding. The allocations are published on this page.

For 2026 to 2027, new burdens funding will be provided in Q3 of the 2026 to 2027 financial year, alongside funding for the measure to disapply intentional homelessness for care leavers (also introduced through the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026). For 2027 to 2028 and 2028 to 2029, payment details will be confirmed and communicated in due course.

The Department for Health and Social Care has developed guidance (published on this page) to inform GP practices and health visiting services of this measure and how they might respond to receiving a notification.

The Department for Education has updated its Keeping children safe in education guidance to inform schools of this measure and how they might respond to receiving a notification.

Some local authorities have already been piloting this as part of the Shared Health Foundation’s SAFE Protocol campaign, which has been used to inform its best practice guidance across housing, health and education.