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What to do if…
you receive notice that someone in custody is being released soon and they have nowhere to go

Short answer

Get the prison/probation resettlement contact to start the official homelessness/housing-help process today, and make sure there is a safe “first night” plan even if longer-term housing isn’t sorted yet.

Do not do these things

  • Don’t promise the person they can use your address (or that you’ll house them) until you know their licence/bail conditions and the practical risks.
  • Don’t put your address in writing for multiple agencies unless you truly intend it to be used and you understand what’s being requested.
  • Don’t assume “no housing available” means nothing can be done—there are still formal referrals/assessments that protect the person’s position.
  • Don’t delay because you’re waiting for perfect information; start with what you have and update.

What to do now

  1. Confirm the basics (save a screenshot/message if you can): release date/time, which prison, the person’s full name and prison number, and whether release is on licence, bail, or end-of-sentence (this affects supervision and address rules).
  2. Ask for the right prison contact immediately: request the prison’s resettlement team / housing adviser / offender manager (titles vary). Say clearly: “They have nowhere to go on release and need housing/homelessness action now.”
  3. If they are in England: ask for a ‘Duty to Refer’ referral today (with consent): prisons/probation can make a duty to refer notification to a local housing authority in England. Ask staff to:
    • get the person’s consent, and
    • send the referral to the housing authority the person chooses, and
    • give you (and/or the person) a confirmation of where/when it was sent.
  4. If they are in Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland: ask the resettlement contact to make (or help the person make) an urgent homelessness/housing-help approach to the local authority for where the person will be on release. Don’t let anyone label it “informal only”—ask for the named team/contact and what was recorded.
  5. Check whether an address must be approved: if release is on licence or bail, ask: “Do they need an approved address to be released, or can they be released ‘no fixed abode’?” If an address is needed, ask what information probation/prison need from any proposed host (for example, who lives there, safeguarding/risk checks) and ask them to confirm requirements in writing.
  6. Build a ‘first night’ plan that doesn’t depend on you housing them: confirm the release gate/time, what they will have (phone, charger, travel money), and whether they can be released to a named person. If you can’t meet them, agree:
    • one safe contact method (one phone number), and
    • one safe public meet point (not your home).
  7. Help them avoid immediate admin dead-ends: ask what ID/discharge paperwork they will leave with, and whether the resettlement team can help them line up a contact route for benefits/appointments if they have no fixed address (for example, a service address via an arranged placement or support service).

What can wait

  • You do not need to solve long-term housing today—your job is to get an official referral/assessment started and a safe first night plan.
  • You do not need to decide whether they can live with you right now.
  • You do not need every document immediately; start with release details and the correct contacts.

Important reassurance

It’s common for release planning to feel abrupt and chaotic. You’re not failing if you can’t “fix” housing instantly—getting the right contacts involved and getting the situation formally recorded early can prevent the worst outcomes and buys time.

Scope note

These are first steps for the first hours/days around release. Housing duties and release conditions differ across the UK nations and by individual circumstances, and later steps may need specialist help.

Important note

This is general information, not legal advice. Processes and terminology vary across the UK and by prison/probation region, and decisions may depend on risk assessments and release conditions. If you can’t confirm something with staff, use cautious language and focus on documented contacts, referrals, and a safe immediate plan.

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