(1)The relevant authority shall consider whether the conditions in subsection (2) are satisfied in relation to a person qualifying for advice and assistance.
(2)The conditions are that—
(a)he needs help of a kind which they can give under this section or section 24B; and
(b)in the case of a person to whom section 24(1A) applies, or to whom section 24(1B) applies and who was not being looked after by any local authority or local authority in Wales , they are satisfied that the person by whom he was being looked after does not have the necessary facilities for advising or befriending him.
(3)If the conditions are satisfied—
(a)they shall advise and befriend him if he is a person to whom section 24(1A) applies, or he is a person to whom section 24(1B) applies and he was being looked after by a local authority (without subsequently being looked after by a local authority in Wales) or was accommodated by or on behalf of a voluntary organisation; and
(b)in any other case they may do so.
(4)Where as a result of this section a local authority are under a duty, or are empowered, to advise and befriend a person, they may also give him assistance.
(5)The assistance may be in kind and, in exceptional circumstances, assistance may be given—
(a)by providing accommodation, if in the circumstances assistance may not be given in respect of the accommodation under section 24B, or
(b)in cash .
(6)Subsections (7) to (9) of section 17 apply in relation to assistance given under this section or section 24B as they apply in relation to assistance given under that section.
Cases considering section 24A 4
[2026] EWHC 779 (Admin) · 31 March 2026Interprets
Requires the local authority to consider whether a qualifying young person needs help and governs advice, assistance and the exceptional accommodation or cash power. The court held that no formal assessment is necessarily required by the section itself, but reasonable inquiry is required (see paras [99]-[101]).
Confers a discretionary power to provide accommodation or financial assistance in exceptional circumstances. The availability of asylum support may be ignored where, on the particular facts and without taking that support into account, the Council would be required to exercise the power; otherwise it may be considered (see paras [189]-[204]; [231]-[236]).
[2025] EWHC 1565 (Admin) · 23 June 2025Interprets
Applies: Section 24A requires consideration of whether a qualifying young person needs help which the authority can provide and requires advice and befriending where the statutory conditions are met.
Applies: Where the authority is under a duty or has power to advise and befriend, it may also provide assistance. The judgment treated accommodation as capable of being provided through the exceptional-circumstances mechanism in subsection (5).
Interprets: Exceptional circumstances have their ordinary meaning. When deciding whether they exist, a local authority must disregard NASS accommodation being provided, or potentially provided, under Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 s 95. The Council’s contrary approach was unlawful (see paras [99]-[103]; [129]-[142]).
Applies: The provision permits accommodation in exceptional circumstances where accommodation assistance cannot be given under section 24B. A local authority must not treat NASS accommodation as removing the exceptional circumstances or as an alternative source of accommodation for this purpose (see paras [103]; [138]-[142]).
[2004] EWCA Civ 235 · 2 April 2004Defines
The court identified this as a Children Act provision capable of supporting an adult formerly in care and therefore within Schedule 3 paragraph 1(1)(g). (see para [16])
What each judgment says about section 24A is in the case-law panel in the full Act.