Ministers Consider Backing New Law To Prevent Homelessness

Ministers are considering backing a new law to strengthen local councils’ duties to stop people becoming homeless. The Homelessness Reduction Bill, put forward by Tory backbencher Bob Blackman, would require councils to help people deemed likely to become homeless within 56 days. Crucially, a so-called “section 21” notice – effectively an eviction notice – would be deemed in law to put someone at risk of homelessness. Currently many councils in practice do little to stop people becoming homeless until they are literally evicted by bailiffs and present themselves to authorities as homeless. Read more on the Independent website.