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Sweeping plans to abolish the “exclusionary” priority need and intentionality tests for homelessness support in Wales have cleared the first hurdle in the Senedd.

Senedd Members agreed the principles of the homelessness bill without objection, doing away with the need for a vote following Tuesday’s (November 4) “stage-one” debate.

Housing secretary Jayne Bryant explained the bill would better protect the workforce as well as abolish the priority need and intentionality tests for homelessness support.

She told the Senedd: “Our focus is how to help people – not whether to help people,” outlining a trauma-informed approach focused on prevention and early intervention.

She said phased implementation is expected to cost £247m over ten years, outweighed by estimated benefits of £481m – “meaning every £1 invested will generate £2”.

Ms Bryant added that every £1 will generate £4 if wider societal benefits are included.

‘Under pressure’

Her Labour colleague John Griffiths, who chairs the Senedd’s housing committee, said: “Nobody should have to experience the trauma of homelessness and, as such, we welcome action that aims to take us further towards the goal of ending homelessness in Wales.”

But Mr Griffiths stressed legislation alone will not be enough to achieve the ambition, saying delivering more social housing and sufficient resources must be prioritised.

He raised councils’ concerns about increased demands on an under-pressure system.

He added: “We have highlighted our significant concerns about providing local authorities with a power to determine categories of people eligible for social housing allocation.

“Such a power will move us away from the universal idea that anyone can apply for social housing and we are skeptical as to its inclusion in the bill. We didn’t hear evidence in support… and we do not feel the Welsh Government has sufficiently made its case.”

‘Robustness’

Finance committee chair Peredur Owen Griffiths expressed concerns about the robustness of evidence used as a basis for cost estimates. He said: “While we accept that the best available evidence has been used, we believe further modelling is needed.”

Conservative Joel James backed the bill but warned it will not be a “silver bullet” due to the scale of the homelessness crisis and the “lowest-ever” rate of housebuilding in Wales.

Mr James told the Senedd: “If this bill is to succeed, it must be accompanied by substantial support,” pointing to recurring concerns about short-term funding cycles.

He called for an exemption for veterans from the local connection test for social housing.

“While we support the bill’s general principles, we must be clear about its limitations,” said Mr James. “Ending homelessness in Wales will require far more.”

‘Different reality’

Siân Gwenllian, Plaid Cymru’s shadow housing secretary, supported moving to more of a proactive, preventive approach to homelessness.

But she emphasised the need to strengthen the bill, with more than 10,000 people, including 3,000 children, living in temporary accommodation – often without basics such as a kitchen.

She said: “Although the Welsh Government has claimed it is prioritising homelessness, the figures show a different reality: it is forecast homelessness could increase by 24% by 2041.

“It is a crisis, isn’t it? There is no doubt the bill does include positive steps and I welcome the ask-and-act approach but I do feel there is an opportunity to go further.”

Labour’s Julie Morgan called for greater support for care leavers – who are too often discharged into the homelessness system, “which is totally unacceptable”.

The bill now moves to second and third stages – detailed consideration of amendments by the housing committee then the whole Senedd before a final stage-four vote.