A Homelessness Bill For All
Our CEO Alicja Zalesinska spoke to WHQ to reflect on the equalities potential of the new legislation – and how it could make an even greater difference. You can find the link to subscribe for more of this content at Wales
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The new Homelessness and Social Housing Allocation (Wales) Bill is a significant and welcome development. It reflects a bold ambition to make homelessness in Wales rare, brief and non-recurrent – an ambition that aligns closely with the values we hold at Tai Pawb, and our long-standing campaign, alongside Back the Bill partners, for a Right to Adequate Housing in law. We were pleased to contribute to the development of the Bill, including through the Expert Review Panel and our research exploring the experiences of people from marginalised groups facing homelessness. It’s encouraging to see many of the ideas and principles from that work reflected in the legislation. There is much to be positive about. The extension of prevention duties from 56 days to six months has the potential to be a gamechanger, helping services to step in earlier and offer more effective support. We also warmly welcome the emphasis on person-centred prevention, support and accommodation plans, and the recognition of the need to ask and act when people may be at risk of homelessness.
The Real Test
As always, the real test will be in the implementation – and that’s where the equalities dimension becomes critical. People from some diverse communities often experience homelessness in different ways and are at much higher risk of homelessness. Ensuring services are responsive to this – through accessible communication, inclusive design, and culturally competent support – will be vital if the Bill is to succeed for everyone. We’re especially pleased to see the inclusion of accessible housing registers (AHRs), something Tai Pawb has long advocated for. Used well, these can transform how disabled people access suitable housing. Our research has shown the value of standardised accessibility categorisation, regionally aligned registers and the proactive mapping of accessible homes. The potential is huge – and we’re committed to working with local authorities and the Welsh Government to ensure these registers are meaningful, usable and impactful.
Compromise is part of the process
Of course, no legislation can do everything, and we recognise that compromise is part of the process. But there are a few areas we hope can be strengthened as the Bill moves forward. For example, while the duty to ask and act is welcome, the current exclusion of bodies like the Home Office and primary care may limit its reach – particularly for refugees and families with no recourse to public funds. Ensuring these groups don’t fall through the cracks will be important. Similarly, there may be scope to revisit how the local connection test applies to young LGBTQ+ people, who often face homelessness due to rejection or abuse and rely on chosen families and support networks in ‘non-local’ areas. A more flexible interpretation here could help prevent repeat homelessness for this group as well as for migrant communities. On Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities, we note that some of the White Paper’s proposals around requirements for culturally appropriate accommodation haven’t carried through into the draft Bill. We hope this can be explored further in future legislative steps and guidance. Overall, the Bill sets a strong foundation – and it’s clear that, in principle, multiple stakeholders are pulling in the same direction here. With the right implementation, resources, and attention to diversity, this legislation has the potential to make a lasting difference. At Tai Pawb, we’re ready to support that journey – helping to ensure the new duties are inclusive, evidence-based and grounded in the lived experience of those most affected. This is a real opportunity to make homelessness in Wales not only rare, brief and non-recurrent – but also to support a fair and equitable homelessness response, rooted in people-led solutions.