Commentary on Sections Part 2 Homelessness Section 96 - Co-operation in certain cases involving children
183.Subsection (1) explains that the other provisions of this section apply only if a local housing authority has reason to believe that an applicant with whom a person under 18 years of age resides, or might reasonably be expected to reside, may be: ineligible for help; homeless but not likely to be owed duties under sections 68, 73 or 75; or threatened with homelessness but not likely to be owed a duty under section 66.
184.Subsection (2) requires a local housing authority to make arrangements for ensuring that the applicant be invited to consent to the referral of essential facts of his or her case to the social service department and, where consent is given, arrangements to make that department aware of those facts and of the subsequent decision of the authority in respect of his or her case. As set out in subsection (3), this does not affect any other power of the authority to disclose any information to its social services department without consent.
185.Where it makes a decision as a local housing authority that an applicant is ineligible for help, became intentionally homeless or became threatened with homelessness intentionally, a county or county borough council must make arrangements to ensure its housing department provides the social services department with such advice and assistance that it may reasonably request.