The Complete Guide to Referral Networks for Charities

A referral network is a structured set of relationships between organisations that enables them to connect people with the right services quickly and reliably. For charities, referral networks are the backbone of effective multi-agency support — ensuring that no one falls through the gaps between services.

TL;DR: Referral networks let charities send and receive referrals between trusted partners, track outcomes, and ensure people reach the right support. Well-managed networks reduce duplication, speed up access, and improve outcomes. Digital referral tools like Plinth replace fragmented email-based processes with trackable, auditable pathways.

What you'll learn: What referral networks are, why they matter for charities, how to build one, and how technology can strengthen every link in the chain.

Who this is for: Charity leaders, service managers, partnership coordinators, and anyone responsible for connecting people with community support.

What Is a Referral Network?

A referral network is an agreed system of pathways between organisations that allows one service to formally refer a person to another. It goes beyond informal signposting — a referral carries information, consent, and an expectation of follow-up.

Formal agreements: Partner organisations agree on referral criteria, data sharing protocols, and response timeframes. This structure is what separates a network from ad hoc signposting.

Shared information: When a referral is made, relevant details about the person's needs travel with them — reducing the need to repeat their story at every new service.

Accountability: Both the referring and receiving organisation have responsibilities. The referrer should provide adequate information; the receiver should acknowledge receipt and report back on outcomes.

Bidirectional flow: Strong networks are not one-way. A housing charity might refer someone to debt advice, and the debt adviser might later refer them to employment support. According to NHS England, over 1.8 million people were referred to social prescribing link workers in 2023–24, demonstrating the scale at which referral networks now operate across the UK.

Referral networks transform isolated services into a coordinated support ecosystem.

Why Referral Networks Matter

Charities rarely operate in isolation. The people they support typically have multiple, overlapping needs — housing, mental health, debt, employment, family support. A single organisation cannot address everything, and attempting to do so wastes resources and delays help.

Faster access to support: A well-functioning network means a person presenting at a food bank with housing problems can be referred to a housing adviser the same day, rather than being told to "try calling around." Research from the National Academy for Social Prescribing found that structured referral pathways reduced average wait times for community support by up to 30% compared with self-referral.

Reduced duplication: Without a network, multiple organisations may assess the same person independently, duplicating effort and frustrating the individual. Referral networks share baseline information so each partner can pick up where the last left off.

Better outcomes: When people reach the right service quickly, their problems are addressed sooner. The King's Fund found that coordinated community referral approaches were associated with a 24% improvement in self-reported wellbeing scores among participants.

Stronger partnerships: Formalising referral relationships builds trust between organisations. Partners learn each other's strengths, capacity, and criteria — making future referrals more accurate and effective.

Every broken referral is a person who might not get help. Networks fix that.

Types of Referral Networks

Not all referral networks look the same. The right model depends on the local landscape, the organisations involved, and the needs being addressed.

Hub-and-Spoke Networks

A central organisation — often a large charity, local authority, or primary care network — acts as the hub, receiving referrals and distributing them to specialist partners.

Advantages: Single point of entry for referrers; the hub has oversight of the whole system. This model is common in social prescribing, where GP practices refer to a link worker who then connects people with community services.

Disadvantages: The hub can become a bottleneck; if the central organisation is under-resourced, the entire network slows down. Approximately 3,400 social prescribing link workers were active across England by 2024, but many reported caseloads exceeding recommended levels.

Peer-to-Peer Networks

Organisations refer directly to each other based on bilateral agreements. There is no central coordinator — each partner knows which other partners accept which types of referrals.

Advantages: Faster for routine referrals; no single point of failure. Partners develop strong direct relationships.

Disadvantages: Harder to maintain oversight; new partners struggle to integrate. Without a directory, staff may not know all available services.

Platform-Based Networks

A shared digital platform connects all partners. Referrals are made, tracked, and reported through the system, with visibility for all relevant parties. Plinth's referral features support this model, providing a shared workspace where partners can manage referrals transparently.

Advantages: Full audit trail; real-time status updates; integrated reporting. Scales easily as new partners join. A 2024 survey by the National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) found that 67% of charities using digital referral platforms reported improved partnership coordination.

Disadvantages: Requires buy-in from all partners; some organisations may resist adopting new technology.

The best networks often combine elements of all three models.

How to Build a Referral Network

Building a referral network is as much about relationships as it is about systems. The following steps provide a practical framework.

Step 1: Map the Landscape

Before building anything, understand who is already operating in your area and what services they provide.

Identify partners: List all organisations that serve your target population — charities, statutory services, social enterprises, community groups. Local infrastructure bodies such as Councils for Voluntary Service (CVS) often maintain directories.

Assess capacity: Not every organisation can accept referrals. Understand each partner's capacity, eligibility criteria, and geographic coverage.

Spot gaps: Where are the services that people need but cannot access? These gaps inform where the network needs to grow. Research by Locality found that 43% of community organisations identified a lack of awareness of other local services as the biggest barrier to effective referrals.

Step 2: Agree Protocols

Formalise how referrals will work between partners.

Data sharing agreements: Establish what information will be shared, under what legal basis (typically consent or legitimate interests under UK GDPR), and how it will be protected.

Referral criteria: Each partner should publish clear criteria — who they accept, what they need to know, and how quickly they respond.

Response standards: Agree on acknowledgement timeframes (e.g. within 2 working days) and outcome reporting expectations.

Step 3: Choose Your Tools

Decide how referrals will be made and tracked.

Digital platforms: Purpose-built referral management tools like Plinth provide structured forms, automated notifications, status tracking, and reporting. This is the most scalable approach.

Shared templates: At minimum, agree on a standard referral form that all partners use, even if it is sent by email initially.

Directory: Maintain a live directory of partner services so staff can quickly identify the right destination for a referral. Plinth's AI Service Directory automates this by matching needs to services.

Step 4: Launch and Iterate

Start with a small pilot before scaling.

Pilot phase: Test with 3–5 partners and a defined referral pathway. Measure referral volumes, response times, and outcomes.

Feedback loops: Regularly ask partners what is working and what is not. Adjust criteria, forms, and processes based on real experience.

Scale gradually: Add new partners and pathways as the network matures. Each new partner should be onboarded with clear expectations and training.

A referral network is never finished — it evolves with the community it serves.

Common Challenges and How to Overcome Them

Information Gaps

Staff do not always know what services exist or which partner to refer to.

Solution: Maintain a searchable, up-to-date service directory. AI-powered directories can match a person's needs to relevant services automatically — see How AI Service Directories Help People Find the Right Support.

Lost Referrals

Referrals sent by email or phone are easily lost, forgotten, or never acknowledged.

Solution: Use a digital referral platform with automated acknowledgements and status tracking. Plinth sends notifications when a referral is received, accepted, or requires follow-up, ensuring nothing falls through the cracks.

Capacity Constraints

Partners cannot accept referrals when they are at capacity, leading to delays and frustration.

Solution: Real-time capacity indicators in your referral platform let referrers see which partners are accepting new referrals. This avoids wasted effort and helps identify where demand outstrips supply.

Data Sharing Concerns

Organisations worry about sharing personal data with partners.

Solution: Consent-based referrals with clear data sharing agreements. Digital platforms can manage consent records and restrict information to what is necessary for each partner.

Measuring Impact

It is difficult to demonstrate the value of a referral network without data.

Solution: Track referral volumes, acceptance rates, response times, and outcomes across the network. According to the Institute for Voluntary Action Research (IVAR), only 28% of charity partnerships formally tracked referral outcomes in 2023 — those that did were significantly more likely to secure continued funding.

Every challenge has a practical solution. The key is to start simple and improve continuously.

The Role of Technology

Technology does not replace relationships, but it makes referral networks more reliable, scalable, and accountable.

Structured referral forms: Ensure the right information is captured every time, reducing back-and-forth.

Automated notifications: Referrers and receivers get instant updates on referral status, eliminating the need to chase by phone or email.

Audit trails: Every action is logged, supporting safeguarding, compliance, and quality assurance.

Reporting and analytics: Network-level dashboards show referral volumes, response times, popular pathways, and outcome data — essential for funders and commissioners.

AI-powered matching: Tools like Plinth's AI Service Directory can suggest the best service for a person's needs, even when the referrer is not familiar with every partner in the network.

For a detailed comparison, see Referral Tracking Software vs Email.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many partners should a referral network have?

There is no fixed number. Start with 3–5 partners covering the most common needs (e.g. housing, debt, mental health) and grow from there. Networks with 10–20 active partners typically cover the majority of referral needs for a local area. The priority is quality of relationships over quantity of partners.

Do we need a formal agreement with every partner?

Yes, at minimum a lightweight data sharing agreement and agreed referral criteria. This protects everyone — the referrer, the receiver, and most importantly the person being referred. Many networks use a standard Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that all partners sign.

How do we handle referrals to statutory services like the NHS or local authority?

Statutory services often have their own referral processes. Your network should document these pathways clearly so staff know the correct route. Some statutory services will join a shared digital platform; others will require referrals through their own systems.

What if a partner consistently fails to respond to referrals?

Address this through your network governance. Start with a conversation — capacity issues are often the root cause. If problems persist, consider whether the partner should remain in the network or whether their capacity needs to be reflected in your directory.

How do we fund a referral network?

Many networks are funded through local authority commissioning, NHS social prescribing budgets, or charitable grants. The cost is typically modest — primarily the digital platform and a coordinator role. Demonstrating outcomes data makes the funding case stronger; networks using platforms like Plinth can generate the evidence automatically.

Can referral networks work across local authority boundaries?

Yes, and they increasingly need to. People do not experience their needs within administrative boundaries. Digital platforms make cross-boundary referrals straightforward by providing a shared space that is not tied to a single geography.

Recommended Next Pages

• Best Referral Management Software for Charities in 2026 – Compare the leading platforms for managing charity referrals.

• How AI Service Directories Help People Find the Right Support – Discover how AI matches people to services automatically.

• Referral Tracking Software vs Email: Why Charities Are Switching – A side-by-side comparison of digital and manual referral management.

• How to Build a Local Service Directory for Your Community – Practical steps to create a directory that powers your referral network.

Last updated: February 2026

For more information about building referral networks with Plinth, contact our team or schedule a demo.