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Section 2: Priority need for accommodation

Housing (Homeless Persons) Act 1977 · 1977 c. 48View on legislation.gov.uk

For the purposes of this Act a homeless person or a person threatened with homelessness has a priority need for accommodation when the housing authority are satisfied that he is within one of the following categories:—

he has dependent children who are residing with him or who might reasonably be expected to reside with him;
he is homeless or threatened with homelessness as a result of any emergency such as flood, fire or any other disaster;
he or any person who resides or might reasonably be expected to reside with him is vulnerable as a result of old age, mental illness or handicap or physical disability or other special reason.

For the purposes of this Act a homeless person or a person threatened with homelessness who is a pregnant woman or resides or might reasonably be expected to reside with a pregnant woman has a priority need for accommodation.

The Secretary of State may by order, made after appropriate consultations,—

specify further categories of persons as having a priority need for accommodation, and
amend or repeal any part of subsection (1) or (2) above.

No order under subsection (3) above shall be made unless a draft of the order has been approved by resolution of each House of Parliament.

Any reference in this Act to a person having a priority need is a reference to his having a priority need for accommodation within the meaning of this section or any order for the time being in force under subsection (3) above.

About this text

This legislation text comes from legislation.gov.uk. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. These source and reuse terms cover the legislation text, not Remedy's commentary.

Reuse reviewed 21 August 2026 under Open Government Licence v3.0.