Supporting households with no recourse to public funds: key elements and service models

N ET WO R K No Rec ou rs e t o P ubli c F und s

This guidance is intended to aid local authorities in their understanding of the different elements of providing accommodation and subsistence support to families and adults with care and support needs when social care duties are engaged, and the organisational structures through which those elements can be delivered.

In 2023-24, NRPF connect data shows that UK local authorities provided accommodation and subsistence support, under social services legislation to 3,474 households with no recourse to public funds at an annual cost of £82 million, and year-on-year, costs continue to rise.

Responding to the needs of residents who have no recourse to public funds requires social care departments to undertake a unique set of tasks and services which they would not typically perform. This guidance describes what must be in place to discharge these responsibilities effectively, and the different approaches taken to achieve high quality service delivery.

In chapter 2 the guidance begins by outlining ten key areas of service delivery:

  • Oversight
  • Training and supervision
  • Referral routes
  • Assessment of need
  • Provision of accommodation and subsistence
  • Provision of social care beyond destitution relief
  • Pathways off support
  • Hospital discharge
  • Transition to mainstream support
  • Discretionary support and edge of care

In chapters 3 to 6 it then explores how those areas can be delivered through three different service models:

  • Dedicated NRPF social workers or a social work team (chapter 4)
  • Dedicated NRPF caseworkers or a casework team (chapter 5)
  • No dedicated NRPF function (chapter 6)

Chapter 3 also examines the challenges that local authorities have faced with each of those approaches. Chapter 7 highlights the specialised roles that other councils have found effective.

This guidance has been informed by our engagement with councils and other stakeholders across the UK and the results of a survey and interviews conducted by the NPRF Network with local authorities using NRPF Connect. We are grateful to all practitioners who have shared their operational and practical experiences through the survey, interviews, training sessions, regional network meetings, and other contacts with our services.

This guidance sits alongside the NRPF Network’s other practice guidance for local authorities, which provides in-depth direction for social work practitioners assessing and delivering support for people with no recourse to public funds. All practice guidance can be found on the NRPF Network website.

1.1 Social care duties and further guidance

This guidance is focused on the delivery of support to households with no recourse to public funds when social care duties are engaged.

The social care duties that enable councils to provide accommodation and financial support to families and adults with care needs are set out below.

Families:

  • Section 17 of the Children Act 1989 (England)
  • Sections 37 and 38 of the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014
  • Section 22 of the Children (Scotland) Act 1995
  • Article 18 of the Children (Northern Ireland) Order 1995

Adults with care needs:

  • Sections 18 and 19 of the Care Act 2014
  • Section 35 and 36 of the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014
  • Sections 12 and 13A of the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968
  • Articles 7 and 15 of the Health and Personal Social Services (Northern Ireland) Order 1972

For further information about how these duties apply to adults and families with no recourse to public funds, please refer to the NRPF Network practice guidance:

 

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