Priority Need  Process Review

Commissioned by the Welsh Government, the team collaborated with Cardiff University, Cardiff Metropolitan University, Heriot Watt University and independent consultants to investigate Priority Need within Welsh homelessness legislation. They were tasked with providing an evidence base for use by Welsh Government to inform its decisions about the future of the Priority Need test in Wales.

The Priority Need test is evaluative criterion of whether a homeless household is entitled to settled accommodation through means of the Housing Act (1997). The test stipulates that the duty on local authorities to secure permanent accommodation only applies where the household is deemed a Priority Need. To be considered a priority, a household must contain dependent children, pregnant women, or vulnerable adults. Since the inception of the UK’s Housing Act, additional groups have been added to the Priority Need list to ensure that more homeless people are accommodated.

The Housing (Wales) Act (2014) reduced the need for Priority Need tests, however, for a significant number of households, their needs continued to be unsuccessfully met. Thousands of households were determined to be homeless but not in Priority Need, therefore owed no accommodation duty. Consequently, the team aimed to develop a clear understanding of the implementation of the Priority Need test within Welsh legislation learning from the abolition of the Scottish test; identify options for change; examine key issues in the implementation processes; and explore the impacts of any changes to the Priority Need test.

Phase One involved workshops with a variety of stakeholders from homelessness charities, local authority housing teams, and the probation service as well as those with lived experience of homelessness. In Phase Two, selected stakeholders gave their in-depth thoughts through individual interviews, and evidence was also collated regarding the abolition of Priority Need legislation in Scotland. Phase Three saw the team return to the stakeholders (the original ones from Phase One and Two, where possible) for more workshops. Phase Four involved modelling likely impacts of potential options for the Priority Need test in Wales. Finally, Phase Five consisted of data analysis and the report write-up.

The team found five themes on the strengths and weaknesses of the current Priority Need test:

1. Exclusion and prioritisation
2. Inconsistency
3. Trauma
4. Resources and bureaucracy
5. Outcomes for Priority Need households

Consequently, options were suggested for potential change. Welsh Government could retain the status quo, prescribe a temporary accommodation duty for all households, add an amendment to the groups listed in Priority Need legislation, or abolish the Priority Need.

The majority of participants had concerns about the Priority Need test in its current form, which echoed the concerns in Scotland and led to their test being abolished. Participants suggested that maintaining the current system excludes far too many people, resulting in an unjust process. However, without additional funding or support, they realised that some form of prioritising was necessary.

Many participants were in favour of abolishing the test, particularly referencing an urgent need amongst rough sleepers and under 35s, which was not currently being addressed. Nevertheless, a minority voiced their fears that changing the Priority Need test would lead to services becoming overstretched with increased demand, impacting accommodation and social housing.

In conclusion, the message gained from participants was unanimous that whichever avenue Welsh Government decide on regarding the Priority Need test, the result would be insufficient. Rather than increasing priority groups or the supply of local housing, it was suggested that there needs to be a renewed investment in prevention rather than cure - this could include investment in the workforce and more trauma-informed practice.

Read the full report for more detail.