{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/education-act-1996/section-322",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/education-act-1996/section-322.json",
  "legislation": "ukpga/1996/56",
  "legislation_title": "Education Act 1996",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/education-act-1996",
  "path": "section/322",
  "kind": "section",
  "number": "322",
  "heading": "Duty of certain bodies to help local authority.",
  "text": "(1) Where it appears to a local authority that another local authority, NHS England, an integrated care board or a Local Health Board ... could, by taking any specified action, help in the exercise of any of their functions under this Part, they may request the help of that body , specifying the action in question.\n(2) A body whose help is so requested shall comply with the request unless—\n(a) they consider that the help requested is not necessary for the purpose of the exercise of those functions by the local authority that made the request , or\n(b) subsection (3) applies.\n(3) This subsection applies—\n(a) in a case where the request is made of NHS England, an integrated care board or a Local Health Board ..., if that body consider that, having regard to the resources available to them for the purpose of the exercise of their functions under the National Health Service Act 2006 or the National Health Service (Wales) Act 2006 , it is not reasonable for them to comply with the request, or\n(b) in a case where the request is made of a local authority, if that authority consider that the request is not compatible with their own statutory or other duties and obligations or unduly prejudices the discharge of any of their functions.\n(4) Regulations may provide that, where a local authority, NHS England, an integrated care board or a Local Health Board ... are under a duty by virtue of subsection (2) to comply with a request to help a local authority in the making of an assessment under section 323 or a statement under section 324 of this Act, they must, subject to prescribed exceptions, comply with the request within the prescribed period.\n(5) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .",
  "extent": "E+W",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "Pt. 4 Ch. 1 repealed (1.9.2021 for the repeal of ss. 333(1ZA)(2)-(6), 334-335 and otherwise in force for specified purposes, 1.1.2022 for specified purposes, 1.9.2022 for specified purposes, 1.9.2025 for specified purposes) by Additional Learning Needs and Education Tribunal (Wales) Act 2018 (anaw 2), s. 100(3), Sch. 1 para. 4(9); S.I. 2021/373, arts. 3, 4, 6, 7, 8(j)(vi) (as amended by S.I. 2021/938, art. 2); S.I. 2021/1243, art. 3 (with arts. 4-23) (as amended by S.I. 2021/1428, art. 2); S.I. 2021/1244, art. 3 (with arts. 4-21) (as amended by S.I. 2021/1428, art. 3); S.I. 2021/1245, arts. 3, 4 (with art. 1(4)); S.I. 2022/891, art. 3 (with arts. 4-25); S.I. 2022/892, arts. 2, 3 (with arts. 4-18); S.I. 2022/893, arts. 2, 4; S.I. 2022/894, art. 3; S.I. 2022/895, arts. 3, 4; S.I. 2022/896, art. 3 (with arts. 1(7), 4-22); S.I. 2022/897, art. 3 (with arts. 1(8), 4-21); S.I. 2022/898, arts. 2, 3"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F2",
      "text": "Words in Act substituted (5.5.2010) by The Local Education Authorities and Children’s Services Authorities (Integration of Functions) Order 2010 (S.I. 2010/1158), Sch. 2 para. 7(2) (with Sch. 2 para. 7(4)(5))"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F3",
      "text": "Words in s. 322(1) substituted (5.5.2010) by The Local Education Authorities and Children’s Services Authorities (Integration of Functions) Order 2010 (S.I. 2010/1158), art. 1, Sch. 2 para. 7(6)(b)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F4",
      "text": "Words in s. 322(1) inserted (1.4.2013) by Health and Social Care Act 2012 (c. 7), s. 306(4), Sch. 5 para. 78(2)(a); S.I. 2013/160, art. 2(2) (with arts. 7-9)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F5",
      "text": "Words in s. 322 substituted (1.7.2022) by Health and Care Act 2022 (c. 31), s. 186(6), Sch. 1 para. 1(1)(2); S.I. 2022/734, reg. 2(a), Sch. (with regs. 13, 29, 30)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F6",
      "text": "Words in s. 322(1) substituted (1.7.2022) by Health and Care Act 2022 (c. 31), s. 186(6), Sch. 4 para. 44; S.I. 2022/734, reg. 2(a), Sch. (with regs. 13, 29, 30)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F7",
      "text": "Words in s. 322(1) omitted (1.4.2013) by virtue of Health and Social Care Act 2012 (c. 7), s. 306(4), Sch. 5 para. 78(2)(b); S.I. 2013/160, art. 2(2) (with arts. 7-9)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F8",
      "text": "Words in s. 322(1) substituted (1.4.2013) by Health and Social Care Act 2012 (c. 7), s. 306(4), Sch. 5 para. 78(2)(c); S.I. 2013/160, art. 2(2) (with arts. 7-9)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F9",
      "text": "Words in s. 322(2) substituted (1.4.2013) by Health and Social Care Act 2012 (c. 7), s. 306(4), Sch. 5 para. 78(3); S.I. 2013/160, art. 2(2) (with arts. 7-9)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F10",
      "text": "Words in s. 322(2)(a) substituted (5.5.2010) by The Local Education Authorities and Children’s Services Authorities (Integration of Functions) Order 2010 (S.I. 2010/1158), art. 1, Sch. 2 para. 7(6)(c)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F11",
      "text": "Words in s. 322(3) substituted (5.5.2010) by The Local Education Authorities and Children’s Services Authorities (Integration of Functions) Order 2010 (S.I. 2010/1158), art. 1, Sch. 2 para. 7(6)(d)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F12",
      "text": "Words in s. 322(3)(a) inserted (1.4.2013) by Health and Social Care Act 2012 (c. 7), s. 306(4), Sch. 5 para. 78(4)(a); S.I. 2013/160, art. 2(2) (with arts. 7-9)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F13",
      "text": "Words in s. 322(3)(a) substituted (1.7.2022) by Health and Care Act 2022 (c. 31), s. 186(6), Sch. 4 para. 44; S.I. 2022/734, reg. 2(a), Sch. (with regs. 13, 29, 30)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F14",
      "text": "Words in s. 322(3)(a) substituted (1.4.2007) by The References to Health Authorities Order 2007 (S.I. 2007/961), art. 1(1), Sch. para. 26(2)(c)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F15",
      "text": "Words in s. 322(3)(a) omitted (1.4.2013) by virtue of Health and Social Care Act 2012 (c. 7), s. 306(4), Sch. 5 para. 78(4)(b); S.I. 2013/160, art. 2(2) (with arts. 7-9)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F16",
      "text": "Words in s. 322(3)(a) substituted (1.4.2013) by Health and Social Care Act 2012 (c. 7), s. 306(4), Sch. 5 para. 78(4)(c); S.I. 2013/160, art. 2(2) (with arts. 7-9)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F17",
      "text": "Words in s. 322(3)(a) substituted (1.3.2007) by National Health Service (Consequential Provisions) Act 2006 (c. 43), s. 8(2), Sch. 1 para. 182 (with Sch. 3 Pt. 1)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F18",
      "text": "Words in s. 322(4) substituted (1.4.2013) by Health and Social Care Act 2012 (c. 7), s. 306(4), Sch. 5 para. 78(5)(a); S.I. 2013/160, art. 2(2) (with arts. 7-9)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F19",
      "text": "Words in s. 322(4) substituted (1.7.2022) by Health and Care Act 2022 (c. 31), s. 186(6), Sch. 4 para. 44; S.I. 2022/734, reg. 2(a), Sch. (with regs. 13, 29, 30)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F20",
      "text": "Words in s. 322(4) omitted (1.4.2013) by virtue of Health and Social Care Act 2012 (c. 7), s. 306(4), Sch. 5 para. 78(5)(b); S.I. 2013/160, art. 2(2) (with arts. 7-9)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F21",
      "text": "S. 322(5) repealed (5.5.2010) by The Local Education Authorities and Children’s Services Authorities (Integration of Functions) Order 2010 (S.I. 2010/1158), art. 1, Sch. 2 para. 7(6)(e), Sch. 3 Pt. 1"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F22",
      "text": "S. 322 title substituted (5.5.2010) by The Local Education Authorities and Children’s Services Authorities (Integration of Functions) Order 2010 (S.I. 2010/1158), art. 1, Sch. 2 para. 7(6)(a)"
    },
    {
      "type": "M",
      "label": "M1",
      "text": "1977 c. 49."
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C1",
      "text": "Pt. 4 Ch. 1 excluded (1.9.2014) by Children and Families Act 2014 (c. 6), ss. 81, 139(6); S.I. 2014/889, art. 7(a) (with savings and transitional provisions in S.I. 2014/2270 (as amended (1.4.2015) by S.I. 2015/505)"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1996/56/section/322",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T09:29:40.627017+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}