{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/housing-homeless-persons-act-1977/section-2",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/housing-homeless-persons-act-1977/section-2.json",
  "legislation": "ukpga/1977/48",
  "legislation_title": "Housing (Homeless Persons) Act 1977",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/housing-homeless-persons-act-1977",
  "path": "section/2",
  "kind": "section",
  "number": "2",
  "heading": "Priority need for accommodation",
  "text": "(1) For the purposes of this Act a homeless person or a person threatened with homelessness has a priority need for accommodation when the housing authority are satisfied that he is within one of the following categories:—\n(a) he has dependent children who are residing with him or who might reasonably be expected to reside with him;\n(b) he is homeless or threatened with homelessness as a result of any emergency such as flood, fire or any other disaster;\n(c) he or any person who resides or might reasonably be expected to reside with him is vulnerable as a result of old age, mental illness or handicap or physical disability or other special reason.\n(2) For the purposes of this Act a homeless person or a person threatened with homelessness who is a pregnant woman or resides or might reasonably be expected to reside with a pregnant woman has a priority need for accommodation.\n(3) The Secretary of State may by order, made after appropriate consultations,—\n(a) specify further categories of persons as having a priority need for accommodation, and\n(b) amend or repeal any part of subsection (1) or (2) above.\n(4) No order under subsection (3) above shall be made unless a draft of the order has been approved by resolution of each House of Parliament.\n(5) Any reference in this Act to a person having a priority need is a reference to his having a priority need for accommodation within the meaning of this section or any order for the time being in force under subsection (3) above.",
  "extent": null,
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1977/48/section/2",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T10:24:08.314944+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}