homeless vulnerable person

[lovelywasps]

A young person in my ds's friendship group has recently been made unintentionally homeless. He has absolutely nowhere to go and has been hanging around 24 hour supermarkets at night to keep warm. He has additional needs. He has no adult to advocate for him.
He has already been to the council for help and has been sent away. Do they have a duty to house him?

Probably not tbh. It’s very hard as a single adult to get housed by councils. Best thing to do for him would be to contact street link and get him picked up. They may be able to get him into a hostel.

I say that as someone who was homeless after my mum died having fled a violent relationship and they wouldn’t help me either despite medical conditions on top. (My mum was my surviving parent too).

The local council under new legislation do have a duty to assist him to secure accommodation but don’t have to provide accommodation.

Depends on his age and his level of additional needs?

Getting a charity to advocate on his behalf would be a good step forwards as councils often say no without stopping to consider additional needs etc, so need banging over the head with it until they realise they can’t fob him off.

How old is he?

'The local council under new legislation do have a duty to assist him to secure accommodation but don’t have to provide accommodation.'

So what does 'assist him' actually mean in practise? He can't even charge his phone. This is a person who couldn't access mainstream education.

18