Housing Act 1996

The Housing Act 1996 (c. 52) is an act of Parliament in the United Kingdom. Part VI of the act concerns permanent allocation of housing, while Part VII concerns the duties that a local authority has towards homeless people and when these duties arise.

Housing Act 1996

Act of Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Long title	An Act to make provision about housing, including provision about the social rented sector, houses in multiple occupation, landlord and tenant matters, the administration of housing benefit, the conduct of tenants, the allocation of housing accommodation by local housing authorities and homelessness; and for connected purposes.
Citation	1996 c. 52
Dates
Royal assent	24 July 1996
Status: Current legislation
Text of statute as originally enacted
Text of the Housing Act 1996 as in force today (including any amendments) within the United Kingdom, from legislation.gov.uk.

Specific sections

• Section 1 established a register of social landlords, to be maintained by the Housing Corporation.^[1]

• Sections 175(3) and 191(1) concern the circumstances in which a person currently in accommodation may also be considered "homeless". The circumstances would depend on whether it is "reasonable to continue to occupy" the accommodation.^[2] Case law (Moran v Manchester City Council, 2009 UKHL 36) has confirmed that a woman living in a refuge who has left her home because of domestic violence remains homeless.^[2]

• Section 189 concerns the "priority need" hurdle that a homelessness application must pass for a council to have a duty to provide interim accommodation.

See also

• Homelessness Act 2002