The Welsh Government has today published a new Homelessness and Social Housing Allocations (Wales) Bill, which aims to transform the response to homelessness in Wales, through earlier prevention, the removal of barriers to accessing help, improved access to social housing, and a coordinated response from a wider range of public services. The Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government has also published a written statement and explanatory memorandum to accompany the Bill.
The publication of this Bill follows the Programme for Government commitment to reform Welsh housing law. The legislation has been heavily informed by the recommendations made by the Expert Review Panel, which was established by former Climate Change Minister Julie James, to consider legislative reforms to improve how we prevent and respond to homelessness in Wales. The panel included representatives from local government, social housing, homelessness service providers, as well as academic and legal experts.
In addition to being a member of the panel, Cymorth Cymru facilitated engagement with over 300 people with experience of homelessness, as well as frontline workers through the Frontline Network Wales. The panel submitted its report to the Minister in September 2023, with the Welsh Government subsequently publishing an Ending Homelessness White Paper, which was subject to a public consultation.
The Homelessness and Social Housing Allocations (Wales) Bill will:
- Extend the period during which people can get help to prevent homelessness from 56 days to 6 months
- Strengthen the steps taken by local authorities and introduce the right to request a review on the decisions taken
- Introduce Prevention, Support and Accommodation Plans and a new duty to provide help to retain accommodation
- Abolish the priority need and intentionality tests, which currently prevent people getting the help they need
- Improve and clarify support and access to housing for young people leaving care
- Introduce a new legal duty on a range of public services to ‘ask and act’ if someone is experiencing or at risk of homelessness
- Improve access to social housing and introduce a requirement for common housing registers and accessible housing registers
- Require Welsh Ministers and local authorities to consult with people who have experienced, or been at risk of, homelessness
Katie Dalton, Director of Cymorth Cymru, said:
This is a landmark day for everyone who wants to see an end to homelessness in Wales, with the publication of ground-breaking legislation to strengthen prevention, remove barriers to support, improve access to social housing, and ensure that a wider range of public services play their part in achieving this ambition.
We are proud to have helped over 300 people with experience of homelessness to influence this Bill, and we are delighted that it reflects so many of their views on what needs to change.
We want to see a Wales where homelessness is rare, brief and non-repeated, and we urge Members of the Senedd from all parties to ensure that this Bill becomes law before the 2026 election.
The Bill will embark on its legislative journey over the coming weeks, with the Senedd Local Government and Housing Committee leading scrutiny of this legislation. Cymorth will be engaging with members and submitting evidence throughout this process.
