ENDING HOMELESSNESS IN WALES: A LEGISLATIVE REVIEW - Expert Review Panel

This section also stresses the importance The panel hopes that the Welsh Government will of better understanding the changing picture give thorough consideration to the package of of homelessness in Wales – building on the reforms presented within this report, acting swiftly information and data available to ensure that we to ensure services have the legislative framework, are truly meeting people. [...] As a result of the approach during the pandemic being (Wales) Act 2014 duties should provide and the move towards identifying street The panel’s recommendations that part of the support and assistance homelessness as a priority need, the Welsh should be to help to apply for the lifting of 1.2. [...] consequence of which the person ceases to occupy accommodation which is available for the The post-implementation evaluation of the Is legal change needed? person’s occupation and which it would have been Housing (Wales) Act 2014 highlighted that the Enablers and barriers reasonable for the person to continue to occupy.” concept of vulnerability in relation to the priority The panel believes that. [...] By introducing a measure for those misinterpretation of the local connection test is the of the intentionality test for this reason, the who ‘deliberately manipulate’ the homelessness cause of their homelessness as it has been used panel heard much evidence of the clause being As the statistics above indicate, formal findings of system to be stripped of reasonable preference to deny them the abili. [...] Prevention Duty applicant from becoming homeless (see Sections by amending the wording of Section 65(a) 65 and 66 of the Housing (Wales) Act 2014) and/ Housing (Wales) Act 2014 to say; “to take such As outlined in the introduction of this report, the or to help the applicant secure accommodation steps that are likely to prevent the applicant What is the problem? panel’s approach to legislative ref.