Guidance

Homelessness Escalations Service (HES)

The HES can identify non-UK rough sleepers who qualify for public funding on the basis of their immigration status but are unable to prove it.

From:
Home Office
Published
16 June 2023
Last updated
26 April 2024 — See all updates

Documents

User agreement: Homelessness Escalations Service (accessible)

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User agreement: Homelessness Escalations Service

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Details

This follows an internal review by the Chief Caseworker Unit, part of the Home Office’s Customer Operations Support Services department, to streamline delivery and explore ways of improving the services. The Chief Caseworker Unit took over the RSSS and escalations service on 31 October 2022, to move the service out of Immigration Enforcement.

The Chief Caseworker Unit’s internal review also identified a number of other recommendations including:

  • the development of a new user agreement
  • provision of further information to those without status (including voluntary return)
  • feedback loops with both internal and external key stakeholders

These recommendations were all supported and agreed at an advisory panel consisting of government representatives from the Chief Caseworker Unit, Immigration Enforcement and the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC), along with Rough Sleeping Leads within Local Authorities and sector organisations.

The accompanying guide sets out the purpose of the HES, its intentions and how referrals are processed. It also explains the roles and responsibilities of all parties involved including HES Users, the HES service and wider Home Office departments.

The HES replaced the Rough Sleeping Support Service (RSSS) and accompanying escalations service on 30 June 2023.

Updates to this page

Published 16 June 2023
Last updated 26 April 2024 + show all updates

  1. Updated document to provide clarification on changes to the handling of EU Settlement Scheme escalations from 1 April 2024.

  2. First published.

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