69.This section makes amendments to sections 81 and 142 of the 2014 Act.
70.Section 81(2) of the 2014 Act provides that a person has a local connection with the area of a local housing authority in Wales or England if they are, or were in the past, normally resident there, and residence is or was of the person’s own choice; the person is employed there; because of family associations; or because of special circumstances. These criteria are to be applied by a local housing authority when determining, under section 80 of the 2014 Act, whether an applicant can be referred to another authority in Wales or England. These criteria also apply when local housing authorities consider whether or not they must secure suitable accommodation for an applicant under section 75 of the 2014 Act (as amended by the Act).
71.This section substitutes section 81(4) of the 2014 Act. It provides the Welsh Ministers with a power to specify in regulations circumstances in which a person is or is not to be treated as having met any of the local connection criteria under section 81(2) of the 2014 Act. The regulations are subject to the Senedd approval procedure.
Commentary on Sections Part 1 - Homelessness Section 12: Meaning of local connection