Councils given greater responsibility under new homelessness bill

Local authorities will have to make greater provision for
homeless families with children under the new Homelessness
Bill.

Councils will also be expected to be more flexible in helping
homeless people with no children.

People who flee their home because of violence will not be
required to return to their home area for housing.

The bill picks up the proposals contained in the Homes Bill,
which was lost when the general election was called.

New housing minister Lord Falconer said: “This bill would make
it easier for progressive housing authorities to move away from the
old concept of allocated housing according to complicated points
systems, and instead allow applicants more opportunity to express
views and preferences about where they want to live.”

  • The government also announced a new programme of council home
    transfers involving 328,000 properties in the next two years.
    Housing associations will become the new landlord for the homes
    transferred from 27 local authorities.

 

 

 

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