More people will qualify as homeless under new bill

A new bill which increases the number of people who can qualify
as homeless has been issued by the Scottish executive.

Publication of The Homelessness etc. (Scotland) Bill follows the
executive’s endorsement of the homelessness taskforce’s 59
recommendations released earlier this year.

The bill proposes expanding the categories of people assessed as
a priority and therefore entitled to permanent accommodation;
allowing homeless people to apply to any local authority without
having to demonstrate a local connection, and requiring landlords
to inform local authorities of repossession cases so that early
action may be taken to prevent homelessness.

Minister for Social Justice, Margaret Curran, said: “This bill sets
out a phased approach to expand priority need over the next decade
so that by 2012 all homeless people will be entitled to permanent
accommodation. 

“It also aims to provide them with more choices about where they
live so that their homelessness is less likely to be repeated.”