Homelessness and Social Housing Allocation (Wales) Act 2026

1. Introduction

2. General Background

3. Structure of the Act

4. Commentary on Sections

   1. Part 1 - Homelessness

      1. Section 1: Meaning of “threatened with homelessness”

      2. Section 2: Help to prevent an applicant from becoming homeless

      3. Section 3: Duty to assess and notice of outcome of assessment

      4. Section 4: Prevention, support and accommodation plans

      5. Section 5: Right to request a review

      6. Section 6: Duty to secure accommodation for eligible homeless persons with a local connection to Wales

      7. Section 7: Circumstances in which the duty to secure accommodation for applicants comes to an end

      8. Section 8: Interim duty to secure accommodation for homeless applicants

      9. Section 9: Abolition of differences in entitlement related to priority need

      10. Section 10: Abolition of differences in entitlement related to intentional homelessness

      11. Section 11: Referral of cases to another local housing authority

      12. Section 12: Meaning of local connection

      13. Section 13: Exemption from referral to another local housing authority

      14. Section 14: Duties to applicants in referral cases

      15. Section 15: Cases referred from a local housing authority in England

      16. Section 16: Notice to applicants in referral cases

      17. Section 17: Help to retain suitable accommodation secured in exercise of homelessness functions

      18. Section 18: Duty to contact certain applicants after duty in section 75 comes to an end

      19. Section 19: Further circumstances in which the duties to help applicants end

      20. Section 20: Duty of a specified person to ask and act

      21. Section 21: Duty to refer persons in England to a local housing authority in Wales

      22. Section 22: Duty to ensure young people leaving care have suitable accommodation

      23. Section 23: Protocol for handling cases involving care leavers etc.

      24. Section 24: Protocol for handling cases involving persons in particular need of support

      25. Section 25: Protection of property: prisoners

      26. Section 26: Duty to provide information, advice and assistance: detained persons

      27. Section 27: Definition of “abuse”

      28. Section 28: Duty to seek the views of homeless persons in exercise of homelessness functions

      29. Section 29: Suitability of accommodation

      30. Section 30: Reports on use and condition of interim accommodation

      31. Section 31: Co-operation

      32. Section 32: Co-operation between social landlords and local housing authorities

      33. Section 33: Viewing accommodation

   2. Part 2 - Social Housing Allocation

      1. Section 34: Ineligibility for allocation of housing as a result of unacceptable behaviour

      2. Section 35: No preference for persons who try to manipulate the housing system

      3. Section 36: Preference for young people leaving care

      4. Section 37: Housing registers

   3. Part 3 - Miscellaneous and General

      1. Section 38: Guidance to local housing authorities on rent guarantees

      2. Section 39: Review of the operation and effect of changes made by this Act

      3. Section 40: Interpretation

      4. Section 41: Minor and consequential provision

      5. Section 42: Power to make consequential and transitional provision etc.

      6. Section 43: Coming into force

      7. Section 44: Progress reports on bringing the Act into force

      8. Section 45: Short title

   4. SCHEDULE

      MINOR AND CONSEQUENTIAL PROVISION

5. Record of Proceedings in Senedd Cymru