Last updated: 07 May 2025
What is cuckooing?
The term cuckooing originates from the cuckoo bird which takes over other bird’s nests. In the context of housing, cuckooing refers to the process whereby a person or people take over another person’s home. The cuckoo-er (person doing the cuckooing) may use the property as a place to stay, for financial benefit, or to operate illegal activities such as drug dealing or sex work.
Researchers at the University of Leeds have identified seven stages which occur when someone cuckoos a tenancy:
- Select Target
- Gain Information
- Build a Connection
- Fill A Need
- Prime A Target
- Instigate The Home Takeover
- Maintain Control
Cuckooing is inherently complex. At the outset, cuckoo-ers often befriend individuals or may pose as carers offering support to take advantage and gain control of the individual and the property. They may exploit vulnerabilities and offer an exchange to gain access to the property, for example giving free substances to someone suffering with addiction to use the flat.
Due to the initial exchange and the fact the relationship appears equitable, it can be hard for people to recognise that they are being exploited. Individuals may even view the cuckoo-er as a friend. Once the cuckoo-er has access to the property, the relationship usually breaks down, and the benefits supplied to the individual are limited or withheld.
Why is cuckooing a problem in the homelessness sector?
People with experiences of homelessness are at higher risk of being a target for cuckooing because of interrelated issues, such as:
- Substance and alcohol dependency or in recovery.
- Mental health illnesses, physical health difficulties and/or learning disabilities
- History of trauma
- Neurodiversity
- Difficulties with cognitive functioning
- Housing insecurity
- Financial difficulties or challenges managing personal finances
- Social isolation and challenges maintaining relationships
- Difficulties managing independent living (especially young people living independently for the first time or people leaving the criminal justice system)
- Location of the tenancy and accessibility to the property
Is cuckooing illegal?
Currently, cuckooing is not considered an illegal offence. Instead, it is the illegal activity (e.g., people using another person’s property to deal drugs) which will be prosecuted, and the tenant of the property may be held responsible for any criminal activity taking place inside the home. There is a new Crime and Policing Bill: Child criminal exploitation and ‘cuckooing’ which makes it illegal to exercise control over another person’s dwellings in connection to criminal activity without their consent, however, until this comes into force individuals may be at risk of losing their tenancy.
For this reason, it is very important for services who work with individuals to have a good understanding of cuckooing and its complexities. Staff need to be able to articulate what is happening and advocate on the person’s behalf to help police and other services fully understand the circumstances.
How should you support people affected by or at risk of cuckooing ?
Often people do not report being cuckooed because of fear of eviction and the repercussions of the illegal activity happening at the property. There is also likely to be an underlying fear and distrust of services (including the police) and a fear of losing access to friendships, money and substances as well as feelings of shame and the fear of intimidation or repercussions from the cuckoo-ers.
It is vital that people feel able to discuss what is happening.
- Build a trusting relationship with the person you are supporting . This can take time, and a person-centred approach is essential.
- Adopt a multi-agency response, create a supportive network around the person when they start their tenancy and bring all agencies on board. This includes having a good understanding of the person and their support needs and advocating for these needs to be understood by all agencies.
- Prepare people for independent living and make sure the individual has the right support in place to manage independent living. Book in regular visits and welfare checks and ensure they are prepared to manage the transition from being in a busy environment to living alone, as well as linking them up with services to support with issues, (substance use, companionship).
- Keep up to date about the latest information regarding cuckooing.
What are the warning signs of cuckooing?
- An increase in people leaving and entering the property at all times of day and night.
- Damage to the door/lock of the property.
- Visible signs of drug use and paraphernalia (needles, foils, pipes).
- A decrease in engagement with the person you are supporting.
- The person may be visibly anxious and distracted.
- There are unexplained injuries and a potential increase in antisocial behaviour.
- The person refuses to meet staff at property.
- The person no longer has keys to properly or frequently loses keys/fobs.
What to do if you think someone is being cuckooed:
- Inform your manager and team and ensure a safeguarding alert has been raised. You can find guidance on safeguarding adults at risk here.
- Consider the immediate risks and organise a joint-agency (police, landlord, legal agencies) meeting to assess the situation.
- If you are unsure a person is being cuckooed, ask the person you are supporting away from the property and let them know the steps you would take to support them.
- Keep yourself safe. Read your organisation’s lone working protocols and avoid lone visits.
- Make sure you are receiving support from your organisation.
- Create a risk assessment and contact police to gain knowledge about risks.
- Establish a safe word with the person you are supporting, team members and police so the individual can communicate whether it is safe to talk and are able to identify that the other people supporting are trustworthy.
- Create a cuckooing safety plan with the person you are supporting. You will need to develop a plan to provide and replace the needs or things, the cuckoo-er is providing (e.g., companionship/substances). Remember the cuckoo-er sees the person they are cuckooing than staff and so staff will need to think about how to counteract this.
Links to useful documents:
Cuckooing Risk Identification Tool
References:
Groundswell toolkit with Westminster
Leeds University Cuckooing toolkit
Salford Safeguarding Cuckooing guidance
Research in Practice. Podcast from Manchester Part 1
