Welsh Government: New Bill aims to end homelessness through early intervention

The Welsh Government has introduced a landmark Bill designed to overhaul how homelessness is tackled in Wales, with a new legal framework that focuses on prevention, partnership working, and long-term housing solutions.

Announced today (Monday 19 May), the Homelessness and Social Housing Allocation (Wales) Bill sets out to transform the current response to homelessness by targeting support earlier and bringing together public services to address the wide-ranging causes and impacts of housing insecurity.

The Bill is described as a vital step towards the Government’s long-term ambition of ending homelessness in Wales.

Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government Jayne Bryant said: “This Bill marks a turning point in how Wales tackles homelessness. I’m proud to introduce legislation that not only changes systems but will also transform lives.

“Every person deserves a safe place to call home, and these reforms bring us closer to making that a reality across Wales.”

A key priority of the Bill is supporting young people leaving care, a group particularly vulnerable to homelessness. The legislation places an emphasis on closer working between housing teams and social services to ensure care leavers receive tailored and consistent support.

Bryant added: “I’m particularly pleased about what this means for young care leavers. By bringing housing and social services teams together, we’ll ensure these young people – who are our responsibility – get the support they need.”

The new legislation is based on evidence and input from people with lived experience of homelessness. It outlines a shift towards early identification of risk, coordinated support across agencies, and sustained access to secure housing.

The Government says the Bill provides the tools necessary to intervene before people reach crisis point, with the overall goal of making homelessness rare, brief, and non-recurrent.

“Ending homelessness in Wales isn’t just an aspiration – it’s achievable if we work together to spot warning signs early and step in with the right support before crisis hits,” said Bryant.

The Bill will now begin its journey through the Senedd.