Homelessness and Social Housing Allocation (Wales) Act 2026

8 Interim duty to secure accommodation for homeless applicants

(1) The 2014 Act is amended as follows.

(2) In section 68 (interim duty to secure accommodation for homeless applicants)—

(a) in subsection (1), for “(3)” substitute “(2A)”;

(b) for subsection (2) substitute—

“(2) This subsection applies to an applicant if the authority has reason to believe the applicant is homeless and eligible for help but is not yet satisfied of those matters.”;

(c) after subsection (2) insert—

“(2A) This subsection applies to an applicant where—

(a) the authority is satisfied that the applicant has no local connection to the area of any local housing authority in Wales, and

(b) either—

(i) subsection (2) applies to the applicant, or

(ii) the authority is satisfied that the applicant is homeless and eligible for help.”;

(d) omit subsection (3);

(e) in the heading, omit “for homeless applicants in priority need”.

(3) In section 69 (circumstances in which the duty in section 68 ends)—

(a) in subsection (1), for “(2), (3) (subject to subsection (4) and (5)), (7), (8)” substitute “(1A), (1B), (7)”;

(b) after subsection (1) insert—

“(1A) The circumstances are that—

(a) the local housing authority has decided that a duty is or is not owed to the applicant under section 75,

(b) if the authority has decided that a duty under section 75 is not owed, it has not done so solely on the basis that section 75(4) applies, and

(c) the applicant has been notified of the authority’s decision.

(1B) The circumstances are that—

(a) the local housing authority has decided that no duty is owed to the applicant under section 75,

(b) the authority has done so solely on the basis that section 75(4) applies,

(c) the applicant has been notified of the authority’s decision, and

(d) the authority is satisfied that the accommodation it has secured under section 68 has been available to the applicant for a sufficient period to allow the applicant a reasonable opportunity of securing accommodation for occupation by the applicant and any member of the applicant’s household.

(1C) The period mentioned in subsection (1B) is a period beginning on the day on which the applicant is notified that section 75 does not apply.”;

(c) omit subsections (2) to (6) and (8);

(d) in subsection (10), after “this section” insert “or section 79”.